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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $901 per month in Rabat vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,611 per month in Rabat vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,321 per month in Rabat vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Rabat is about 13% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Rabat and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Rabat 33% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 MAD 42.81

$5.92 COP 21.4K

-21.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.57 MAD 458

$32.75 COP 118.2K

51.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.53 MAD 60.4

$7.20 COP 26.0K

-9.31%

Cappuccino

$2.07 MAD 19.19

$1.70 COP 6,140

21.76%

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

$0.62 MAD 5.71

$1.10 COP 3,966

-43.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 MAD 3.70

$0.72 COP 2,605

-44.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.37 MAD 49.63

$1.67 COP 6,022

221.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.12 MAD 38.14

$3.10 COP 11.2K

32.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 MAD 7.69

$1.06 COP 3,809

-21.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 MAD 4.69

$1.25 COP 4,497

-59.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 MAD 18.25

$1.39 COP 5,022

41.73%

Eggs

$1.91 MAD 17.68

$2.26 COP 8,168

-15.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 MAD 122

$4.33 COP 15.6K

204.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.79 MAD 62.8

$5.84 COP 21.1K

16.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.04 MAD 111

$8.83 COP 31.9K

36.35%

Apples (1kg)

$1.61 MAD 14.87

$2.24 COP 8,099

-28.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MAD 13.36

$1.08 COP 3,882

33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.78 MAD 7.17

$1.53 COP 5,522

-49.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.87 MAD 8.06

$1.37 COP 4,950

-36.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 MAD 6.60

$1.13 COP 4,078

-37.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 MAD 6.11

$1.12 COP 4,036

-41.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.42 MAD 3.90

$0.85 COP 3,057

-50.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 MAD 5.92

$0.91 COP 3,281

-29.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.21 MAD 38.97

$2.33 COP 8,414

80.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.85 MAD 72.6

$11.13 COP 40.2K

-29.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 MAD 25.31

$1.19 COP 4,309

130.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MAD 23.37

$2.37 COP 8,553

6.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MAD 4.85

$0.79 COP 2,838

-34.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.14 MAD 251

$41.13 COP 148.5K

-34.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 MAD 5.25

$1.44 COP 5,184

-60.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.88 MAD 8.13

$1.91 COP 6,901

-53.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 MAD 40.07

$8.02 COP 28.9K

-46.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 MAD 14.74

$0.94 COP 3,385

69.15%

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

$36.9K MAD 341.4K

$17.9K COP 64.7M

105.92%

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

$29.7K MAD 275.2K

$26.8K COP 96.7M

11.04%

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

$41.27 MAD 382

$84.0 COP 303.1K

-50.85%

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

$11.06 MAD 102

$9.60 COP 34.7K

15.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.37 MAD 364

$24.16 COP 87.2K

62.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.55 MAD 283

$25.88 COP 93.4K

18.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.95 MAD 268

$19.04 COP 68.7K

52.05%

Cinema Ticket

$6.39 MAD 59.1

$3.92 COP 14.1K

63.01%

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

$155 MAD 1,437

$306 COP 1.1M

-49.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,445 MAD 59.6K

$5,919 COP 21.4M

8.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.0 MAD 490

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-8.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.82 MAD 442

$31.82 COP 114.9K

50.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 MAD 1,007

$99.9 COP 360.6K

8.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.8 MAD 895

$107 COP 386.8K

-9.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$460 MAD 4,252

$487 COP 1.8M

-5.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 MAD 2,464

$368 COP 1.3M

-27.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,119 MAD 10.4K

$826 COP 3.0M

35.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$731 MAD 6,759

$716 COP 2.6M

2.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,946 MAD 18.0K

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-33.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,097 MAD 10.1K

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-22.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MAD 6,912

$546 COP 2.0M

36.99%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $460 in Rabat versus $487 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 37% 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 $50.0 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 15%, 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 $1,351 per month in Rabat and $1,550 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 $50.0 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 $901 in Rabat and $1,034 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 $901, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.