Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sidi Kacem Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sidi Kacem

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $726 in Sidi Kacem, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,130 in Sidi Kacem, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,533 in Sidi Kacem, rent included.

Medellin costs about 40% more than Sidi Kacem, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Sidi Kacem are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Sidi Kacem 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$4.27 MAD 39.46

39.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$30.29 MAD 280

10.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.02 MAD 64.9

2.99%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.65 MAD 15.24

-1.21%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.68 MAD 6.25

60.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.32 MAD 3.00

128.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$3.83 MAD 35.40

-54.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$3.26 MAD 30.12

-0.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.75 MAD 6.92

40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.63 MAD 5.87

104.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.09 MAD 10.07

21.10%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.24 MAD 20.69

1.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$8.88 MAD 82.1

-51.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$3.73 MAD 34.55

57.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$7.89 MAD 73.0

9.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$0.63 MAD 5.81

257.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$0.91 MAD 8.41

17.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$0.54 MAD 4.98

181.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.54 MAD 4.98

162.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.46 MAD 4.27

154.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.31 MAD 2.91

277.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.23 MAD 2.13

286.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.62 MAD 5.70

45.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.66 MAD 24.61

-15.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$6.36 MAD 58.8

73.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.53 MAD 14.17

-25.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$3.28 MAD 30.31

-27.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.51 MAD 4.71

64.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$16.34 MAD 151

156.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.57 MAD 5.31

147.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.52 MAD 4.80

265.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$4.32 MAD 39.92

79.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.36 MAD 12.56

-25.74%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$37.8K MAD 350.1K

-53.55%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$23.9K MAD 220.8K

11.02%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$82.2 MAD 761

1.76%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$11.19 MAD 104

-15.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$38.96 MAD 360

-38.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$24.06 MAD 223

5.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$22.93 MAD 212

-16.53%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$7.31 MAD 67.6

-43.91%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$312 COP 1.1M

$99.8 MAD 923

212.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$6,347 MAD 58.7K

-5.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$30.48 MAD 282

90.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$45.98 MAD 425

-29.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$87.0 MAD 805

14.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$82.3 MAD 762

31.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$279 MAD 2,583

72.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$171 MAD 1,584

121.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$505 MAD 4,672

65.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$307 MAD 2,837

135.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,601 MAD 14.8K

77.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$943 MAD 8,722

29.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.35

208.74%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Sidi Kacem: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $279 in Sidi Kacem. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $30.00 in Sidi Kacem. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $147 – making Sidi Kacem the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medellin vs Sidi Kacem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 40%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,090 in Sidi Kacem. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sidi Kacem, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $30.00 in Sidi Kacem. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,017 in Medellin and $726 in Sidi Kacem. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sidi Kacem, where all-in costs run around $726, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Sidi Kacem it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sidi Kacem – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Sidi Kacem. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.