Cost of Living Comparison Between Mogadishu and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Mogadishu and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $600 per month in Mogadishu vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $944 per month in Mogadishu vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,289 per month in Mogadishu vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Mogadishu is about 42% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Mogadishu and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Mogadishu 55% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.55 SOS 2,016

$6.16 COP 20.0K

-42.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.03 SOS 10.2K

$32.60 COP 106.0K

-44.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.38 SOS 2,487

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-40.33%

Cappuccino

$1.47 SOS 835

$1.72 COP 5,592

-14.53%

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

$0.49 SOS 278

$1.05 COP 3,416

-53.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 SOS 187

$0.77 COP 2,511

-57.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.04 SOS 2,293

$1.69 COP 5,480

139.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$15.09 SOS 8,570

$3.17 COP 10.3K

376.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 SOS 822

$1.05 COP 3,418

38.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 SOS 768

$1.30 COP 4,230

3.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 SOS 528

$1.40 COP 4,538

-33.57%

Eggs

$1.91 SOS 1,087

$2.16 COP 7,037

-11.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.04 SOS 2,865

$4.39 COP 14.3K

14.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.06 SOS 2,305

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-30.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.01 SOS 2,847

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-42.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.47 SOS 1,972

$2.28 COP 7,415

52.19%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 SOS 551

$1.11 COP 3,599

-12.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 SOS 1,834

$1.53 COP 4,976

111.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 SOS 772

$1.35 COP 4,405

0.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 SOS 676

$1.13 COP 3,669

5.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 SOS 860

$1.13 COP 3,687

33.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 SOS 762

$0.85 COP 2,749

57.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 SOS 273

$0.91 COP 2,971

-47.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.21 SOS 688

$2.34 COP 7,619

-48.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 SOS 1,128

$1.20 COP 3,904

65.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,094

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 SOS 274

$0.84 COP 2,724

-42.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.18 SOS 11.5K

$40.57 COP 131.9K

-50.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 SOS 575

$1.42 COP 4,617

-28.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 SOS 330

$1.92 COP 6,227

-69.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.42 SOS 3,646

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-16.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 SOS 579

$0.99 COP 3,219

3.03%

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

$7,519 SOS 4.3M

$18.0K COP 58.6M

-58.30%

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

$6,136 SOS 3.5M

$26.6K COP 86.6M

-76.96%

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

$84.4 SOS 47.9K

$80.8 COP 262.7K

4.41%

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

$5.04 SOS 2,860

$9.95 COP 32.3K

-49.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.0 SOS 32.4K

$24.18 COP 78.6K

135.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.90 SOS 17.6K

$25.08 COP 81.5K

23.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.41 SOS 5,912

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-45.64%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

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

$49.70 SOS 28.2K

$305 COP 992.2K

-83.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$577 SOS 327.5K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-90.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.37 SOS 9,864

$58.1 COP 189.0K

-70.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.39 SOS 13.9K

$32.20 COP 104.7K

-24.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$26.34 SOS 15.0K

$101 COP 327.5K

-73.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.3 SOS 34.3K

$108 COP 350.3K

-44.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$158 SOS 89.5K

$477 COP 1.5M

-66.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$66.7 SOS 37.9K

$376 COP 1.2M

-82.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 SOS 264.9K

$845 COP 2.7M

-44.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 SOS 100.3K

$730 COP 2.4M

-75.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,226 SOS 1.8M

$3,215 COP 10.5M

0.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,405 SOS 1.4M

$1,372 COP 4.5M

75.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$262 SOS 148.6K

$617 COP 2.0M

-57.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-40.43%

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

Last update for Mogadishu: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $158 in Mogadishu versus $477 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 136% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Mogadishu versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $160 vs $193 – making Mogadishu 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

Mogadishu vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 72%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $900 per month in Mogadishu and $1,546 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mogadishu, 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 $18.00 in Mogadishu and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $600 in Mogadishu and $1,031 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mogadishu, where all-in costs run around $600, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Mogadishu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Mogadishu. 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.