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 $763 per month in Oued Zem vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,250 per month in Oued Zem vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,737 per month in Oued Zem vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Oued Zem is about 54% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Oued Zem sits 45% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.19 MAD 39.41

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-47.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.68 MAD 429

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-5.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 MAD 70.6

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-20.17%

Cappuccino

$2.01 MAD 18.89

$2.94 COP 9,040

-31.63%

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

$0.65 MAD 6.07

$1.86 COP 5,735

-65.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MAD 3.34

$1.46 COP 4,479

-75.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.26 MAD 49.40

$3.21 COP 9,882

63.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 MAD 30.49

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-43.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 MAD 8.65

$1.44 COP 4,428

-36.11%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 MAD 6.17

$2.40 COP 7,389

-72.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 MAD 18.22

$1.70 COP 5,228

14.12%

Eggs

$2.00 MAD 18.79

$2.89 COP 8,896

-30.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.01 MAD 113

$10.06 COP 30.9K

19.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.66 MAD 62.6

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-33.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.66 MAD 119

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-10.85%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 MAD 15.40

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-58.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 MAD 13.81

$1.58 COP 4,878

-6.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.88 MAD 8.28

$2.15 COP 6,624

-59.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.93 MAD 8.74

$2.30 COP 7,078

-59.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 MAD 7.11

$2.00 COP 6,169

-62.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 MAD 7.30

$1.51 COP 4,646

-48.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.41 MAD 3.90

$1.20 COP 3,701

-65.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 MAD 5.77

$1.28 COP 3,946

-52.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 MAD 39.96

$3.84 COP 11.8K

10.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.73 MAD 72.6

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-44.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 MAD 25.46

$1.71 COP 5,256

58.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 MAD 26.33

$2.74 COP 8,440

2.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MAD 5.14

$1.25 COP 3,834

-56.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.29 MAD 181

$77.9 COP 239.7K

-75.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 MAD 6.94

$1.31 COP 4,016

-43.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 MAD 8.54

$2.17 COP 6,680

-58.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.42 MAD 41.57

$8.29 COP 25.5K

-46.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 MAD 15.00

$1.36 COP 4,172

17.65%

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

$36.0K MAD 337.9K

$27.5K COP 84.5M

30.88%

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

$32.8K MAD 308.4K

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-10.17%

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

$36.54 MAD 343

$169 COP 519.2K

-78.34%

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

$10.49 MAD 98.6

$13.57 COP 41.8K

-22.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.61 MAD 316

$28.32 COP 87.2K

18.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.79 MAD 252

$45.71 COP 140.7K

-41.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.97 MAD 206

$17.22 COP 53.0K

27.58%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MAD 58.9

$6.65 COP 20.5K

-5.71%

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

$190 MAD 1,782

$803 COP 2.5M

-76.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,178 MAD 67.5K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-21.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 MAD 476

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-42.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.58 MAD 428

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-23.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.3 MAD 877

$139 COP 427.5K

-32.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 MAD 663

$102 COP 314.0K

-30.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$272 MAD 2,558

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-74.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$172 MAD 1,612

$653 COP 2.0M

-73.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$489 MAD 4,591

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-74.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$271 MAD 2,548

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-74.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,242 MAD 11.7K

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-69.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$863 MAD 8,114

$1,697 COP 5.2M

-49.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$249 MAD 2,343

$655 COP 2.0M

-61.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.52

10.94

-58.68%

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

Last update for Oued Zem: September 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $272 in Oued Zem versus $1,071 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 163% 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 $46.00 in Oued Zem versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $211 vs $300 – making Oued Zem 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 115%, 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 $1,144 per month in Oued Zem and $2,462 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 $46.00 in Oued Zem and $48.00 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 $763 in Oued Zem and $1,641 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 $763, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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.