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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $917 per month in Rabat vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,616 per month in Rabat vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,315 per month in Rabat vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Rabat is about 8% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Rabat and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Rabat 31% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.78 MAD 44.55

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-19.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.90 MAD 456

$32.96 COP 103.8K

48.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.51 MAD 60.7

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-12.38%

Cappuccino

$2.04 MAD 18.99

$1.65 COP 5,207

23.64%

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

$0.62 MAD 5.81

$1.10 COP 3,468

-43.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MAD 3.49

$0.78 COP 2,458

-52.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.38 MAD 50.2

$1.72 COP 5,412

212.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 MAD 39.12

$3.18 COP 10.0K

32.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 MAD 7.73

$1.10 COP 3,474

-24.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 MAD 4.46

$1.26 COP 3,962

-61.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 MAD 18.34

$1.38 COP 4,349

42.75%

Eggs

$1.94 MAD 18.11

$2.18 COP 6,858

-11.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.88 MAD 120

$4.49 COP 14.1K

186.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.00 MAD 65.3

$5.79 COP 18.2K

20.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.74 MAD 109

$8.97 COP 28.2K

30.88%

Apples (1kg)

$1.59 MAD 14.79

$2.32 COP 7,308

-31.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 MAD 12.87

$1.06 COP 3,352

30.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.81 MAD 7.56

$1.52 COP 4,774

-46.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.82 MAD 7.61

$1.36 COP 4,270

-39.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 MAD 6.40

$1.13 COP 3,552

-38.94%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 MAD 6.62

$1.17 COP 3,689

-39.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 MAD 4.00

$0.90 COP 2,838

-52.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MAD 5.52

$0.90 COP 2,823

-34.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 MAD 40.85

$2.23 COP 7,034

96.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.00 MAD 74.6

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-33.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 MAD 25.19

$1.19 COP 3,743

126.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 MAD 22.62

$2.48 COP 7,815

-2.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MAD 4.99

$0.85 COP 2,687

-36.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.81 MAD 259

$41.62 COP 131.0K

-33.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 MAD 5.24

$1.42 COP 4,459

-60.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 MAD 8.15

$1.95 COP 6,141

-55.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.32 MAD 40.26

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-45.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MAD 14.37

$0.99 COP 3,118

55.56%

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

$37.4K MAD 348.7K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

112.44%

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

$29.6K MAD 276.4K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

10.63%

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

$41.72 MAD 389

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-49.74%

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

$11.17 MAD 104

$9.70 COP 30.5K

15.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.95 MAD 382

$23.52 COP 74.1K

74.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.78 MAD 278

$25.26 COP 79.5K

17.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.35 MAD 264

$19.10 COP 60.1K

48.43%

Cinema Ticket

$6.55 MAD 61.0

$3.95 COP 12.4K

65.82%

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

$157 MAD 1,468

$316 COP 994.2K

-50.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,433 MAD 60.0K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

7.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 MAD 490

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-12.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.84 MAD 446

$31.82 COP 100.2K

50.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 MAD 996

$102 COP 320.1K

5.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.9 MAD 931

$107 COP 338.3K

-7.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$457 MAD 4,259

$475 COP 1.5M

-3.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$268 MAD 2,500

$374 COP 1.2M

-28.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,122 MAD 10.5K

$849 COP 2.7M

32.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MAD 6,723

$719 COP 2.3M

0.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,046 MAD 19.1K

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-37.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,204 MAD 11.2K

$1,441 COP 4.5M

-16.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$725 MAD 6,763

$624 COP 2.0M

16.15%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $457 in Rabat versus $475 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 16% 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: $208 vs $193 – 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 9%, 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 $1,376 per month in Rabat and $1,504 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 $917 in Rabat and $1,003 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 $917, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.