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 $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $729 in Sidi Kacem, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,119 in Sidi Kacem, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,508 in Sidi Kacem, rent included.

Medellin costs about 38% more than Sidi Kacem, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Sidi Kacem are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Sidi Kacem 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$4.46 MAD 41.88

32.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$29.99 MAD 281

9.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$7.09 MAD 66.6

4.80%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$1.72 MAD 16.12

-4.07%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$0.67 MAD 6.32

64.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$0.33 MAD 3.06

136.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$3.78 MAD 35.49

-54.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$3.32 MAD 31.16

-4.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$0.78 MAD 7.32

41.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$0.67 MAD 6.29

88.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$1.13 MAD 10.60

22.12%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$2.27 MAD 21.35

-3.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$9.02 MAD 84.6

-50.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$3.74 MAD 35.07

54.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$7.53 MAD 70.6

19.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$0.69 MAD 6.46

236.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$0.92 MAD 8.59

15.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$0.53 MAD 4.96

186.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$0.58 MAD 5.40

134.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$0.46 MAD 4.27

145.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$0.34 MAD 3.20

244.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$0.23 MAD 2.16

291.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$0.62 MAD 5.80

45.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$2.64 MAD 24.81

-15.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$6.26 MAD 58.7

93.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$1.53 MAD 14.32

-22.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$3.20 MAD 30.05

-22.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$0.51 MAD 4.77

66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

$16.14 MAD 151

157.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$0.54 MAD 5.04

162.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$0.52 MAD 4.87

275.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$4.31 MAD 40.42

83.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$1.30 MAD 12.16

-23.85%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$37.5K MAD 351.6K

-53.02%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$24.3K MAD 227.9K

10.34%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$81.6 MAD 766

1.74%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$11.15 MAD 105

-13.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$39.22 MAD 368

-40.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$24.29 MAD 228

3.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

$23.48 MAD 220

-18.65%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$7.53 MAD 70.7

-47.54%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$97.8 MAD 918

222.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$6,332 MAD 59.4K

-5.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$31.35 MAD 294

91.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$46.73 MAD 439

-31.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$88.7 MAD 832

14.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$82.6 MAD 775

30.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$280 MAD 2,631

69.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$175 MAD 1,643

113.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$514 MAD 4,826

65.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$307 MAD 2,879

134.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

$1,105 MAD 10.4K

195.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

$828 MAD 7,767

74.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Sidi Kacem: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $280 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: $193 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 38%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,093 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 $1,003 in Medellin and $729 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 $729, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.