Cost of Living Comparison Between Oued Zem and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Oued Zem and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $783 per month in Oued Zem vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,295 per month in Oued Zem vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,808 per month in Oued Zem vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Oued Zem is about 23% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Oued Zem and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Oued Zem 42% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 MAD 42.81

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-22.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.13 MAD 454

$33.33 COP 116.3K

47.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.81 MAD 63.0

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-5.81%

Cappuccino

$2.04 MAD 18.87

$1.63 COP 5,687

25.15%

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

$0.58 MAD 5.35

$1.09 COP 3,821

-46.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 MAD 3.77

$0.73 COP 2,548

-43.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.38 MAD 49.78

$1.74 COP 6,065

209.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 MAD 37.46

$3.23 COP 11.3K

25.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 MAD 8.21

$1.05 COP 3,662

-15.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 MAD 4.65

$1.29 COP 4,515

-61.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MAD 17.30

$1.32 COP 4,617

41.67%

Eggs

$2.02 MAD 18.73

$2.27 COP 7,927

-11.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.04 MAD 121

$4.35 COP 15.2K

199.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.95 MAD 64.3

$5.88 COP 20.5K

18.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.61 MAD 107

$8.61 COP 30.0K

34.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.60 MAD 14.78

$2.25 COP 7,844

-28.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 MAD 12.89

$1.07 COP 3,733

29.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.78 MAD 7.23

$1.52 COP 5,322

-48.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.86 MAD 7.96

$1.42 COP 4,964

-39.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 MAD 6.70

$1.17 COP 4,084

-38.46%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 MAD 6.39

$1.17 COP 4,077

-41.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 MAD 3.65

$0.89 COP 3,096

-56.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MAD 5.38

$0.90 COP 3,146

-35.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.40 MAD 40.70

$2.25 COP 7,837

95.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.73 MAD 71.5

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-29.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 MAD 25.34

$1.14 COP 3,977

140.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 MAD 22.48

$2.38 COP 8,301

2.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 MAD 4.38

$0.84 COP 2,916

-44.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.59 MAD 153

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-60.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 MAD 5.22

$1.41 COP 4,912

-60.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.88 MAD 8.11

$1.90 COP 6,634

-53.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 MAD 40.08

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-44.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 MAD 14.16

$1.01 COP 3,509

51.49%

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

$36.5K MAD 338.0K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

107.87%

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

$29.0K MAD 268.1K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

9.40%

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

$41.67 MAD 385

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-50.20%

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

$10.86 MAD 100

$9.45 COP 33.0K

14.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.64 MAD 367

$24.11 COP 84.1K

64.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.97 MAD 222

$25.31 COP 88.3K

-5.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.10 MAD 214

$19.14 COP 66.8K

20.69%

Cinema Ticket

$6.76 MAD 62.5

$4.10 COP 14.3K

64.88%

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

$160 MAD 1,480

$312 COP 1.1M

-48.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,473 MAD 59.9K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

8.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 MAD 494

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-7.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.87 MAD 443

$32.56 COP 113.6K

47.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 MAD 979

$99.6 COP 347.7K

6.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 MAD 931

$109 COP 378.8K

-7.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$279 MAD 2,584

$482 COP 1.7M

-42.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 MAD 1,632

$379 COP 1.3M

-53.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$509 MAD 4,707

$837 COP 2.9M

-39.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 MAD 2,841

$723 COP 2.5M

-57.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,380 MAD 12.8K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-51.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,050 MAD 9,710

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-14.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$246 MAD 2,274

$541 COP 1.9M

-54.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.81

13.43

-64.18%

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

Last update for Oued Zem: June 9, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $279 in Oued Zem versus $482 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 120% 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 $49.00 in Oued Zem versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $208 vs $190 – making Medellin 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

Oued Zem vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 30%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,174 per month in Oued Zem and $1,525 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Oued Zem, 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 $49.00 in Oued Zem 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 $783 in Oued Zem and $1,017 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Oued Zem, where all-in costs run around $783, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Oued Zem it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Oued Zem – 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 Oued Zem. 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.