Cost of Living Comparison Between Rabat and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Rabat and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $900 per month in Rabat vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,571 per month in Rabat vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,242 per month in Rabat vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Rabat is about 12% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Rabat and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Rabat 33% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.69 MAD 43.35

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-21.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.21 MAD 455

$33.33 COP 116.3K

47.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.53 MAD 60.4

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-9.68%

Cappuccino

$1.96 MAD 18.14

$1.63 COP 5,687

20.25%

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

$0.61 MAD 5.68

$1.09 COP 3,821

-44.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 MAD 3.48

$0.73 COP 2,548

-47.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.51 MAD 51.0

$1.74 COP 6,065

216.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 MAD 37.05

$3.23 COP 11.3K

23.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 MAD 8.19

$1.05 COP 3,662

-15.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 MAD 4.64

$1.29 COP 4,515

-61.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 MAD 18.00

$1.32 COP 4,617

47.73%

Eggs

$1.96 MAD 18.10

$2.27 COP 7,927

-13.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.01 MAD 120

$4.35 COP 15.2K

199.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.14 MAD 66.1

$5.88 COP 20.5K

21.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.97 MAD 111

$8.61 COP 30.0K

39.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.62 MAD 14.95

$2.25 COP 7,844

-28.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 MAD 12.82

$1.07 COP 3,733

29.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.76 MAD 7.04

$1.52 COP 5,322

-50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.80 MAD 7.39

$1.42 COP 4,964

-43.66%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 MAD 6.76

$1.17 COP 4,084

-37.61%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 MAD 6.11

$1.17 COP 4,077

-43.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 MAD 3.65

$0.89 COP 3,096

-56.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MAD 5.80

$0.90 COP 3,146

-30.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.40 MAD 40.67

$2.25 COP 7,837

95.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 MAD 73.3

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-28.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 MAD 25.10

$1.14 COP 3,977

137.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 MAD 22.68

$2.38 COP 8,301

2.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MAD 5.24

$0.84 COP 2,916

-32.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.67 MAD 256

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-34.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 MAD 4.94

$1.41 COP 4,912

-62.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 MAD 7.59

$1.90 COP 6,634

-56.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.47 MAD 41.39

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-42.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 MAD 14.19

$1.01 COP 3,509

51.49%

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

$37.7K MAD 349.0K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

114.63%

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

$29.7K MAD 275.0K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

12.19%

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

$41.01 MAD 379

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-50.99%

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

$11.17 MAD 103

$9.45 COP 33.0K

18.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.41 MAD 374

$24.11 COP 84.1K

67.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.55 MAD 283

$25.31 COP 88.3K

20.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.23 MAD 261

$19.14 COP 66.8K

47.49%

Cinema Ticket

$6.40 MAD 59.2

$4.10 COP 14.3K

56.10%

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

$161 MAD 1,487

$312 COP 1.1M

-48.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,610 MAD 61.1K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

10.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 MAD 495

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-7.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.11 MAD 445

$32.56 COP 113.6K

47.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 MAD 1,007

$99.6 COP 347.7K

9.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 MAD 930

$109 COP 378.8K

-7.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$449 MAD 4,153

$482 COP 1.7M

-6.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 MAD 2,422

$379 COP 1.3M

-31.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 MAD 10.3K

$837 COP 2.9M

33.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 MAD 6,700

$723 COP 2.5M

0.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,099 MAD 19.4K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-26.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,186 MAD 11.0K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-3.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$726 MAD 6,717

$541 COP 1.9M

34.26%

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 Rabat: June 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $449 in Rabat 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 34% higher in Rabat, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Rabat versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $210 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

Rabat vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 13%, 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 $1,349 per month in Rabat 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 Rabat, 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 Rabat 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 $900 in Rabat and $1,017 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 Rabat, where all-in costs run around $900, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Rabat it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rabat – 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 Rabat. 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.