Cost of Living Comparison Between Safi and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Safi and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $611 per month in Safi vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $958 per month in Safi vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,305 per month in Safi vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Safi is about 40% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Safi and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Safi 54% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.76 MAD 34.61

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-37.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.53 MAD 152

$32.86 COP 117.2K

-49.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.64 MAD 42.72

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-34.56%

Cappuccino

$1.96 MAD 18.02

$1.71 COP 6,105

14.62%

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

$0.61 MAD 5.63

$1.10 COP 3,918

-44.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 MAD 2.89

$0.78 COP 2,776

-60.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 MAD 15.38

$1.68 COP 5,987

-0.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 MAD 14.87

$3.07 COP 10.9K

-47.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 MAD 7.64

$1.09 COP 3,899

-23.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 MAD 4.30

$1.26 COP 4,500

-62.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MAD 13.67

$1.38 COP 4,914

7.97%

Eggs

$1.92 MAD 17.64

$2.19 COP 7,813

-12.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.10 MAD 65.3

$4.40 COP 15.7K

61.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.91 MAD 63.7

$5.63 COP 20.1K

22.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.50 MAD 87.5

$8.89 COP 31.7K

6.86%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 MAD 11.15

$2.34 COP 8,334

-48.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 MAD 11.44

$1.06 COP 3,771

16.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.83 MAD 7.65

$1.50 COP 5,365

-44.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 MAD 6.53

$1.38 COP 4,915

-48.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 MAD 5.94

$1.15 COP 4,104

-44.35%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 MAD 6.10

$1.16 COP 4,148

-43.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 MAD 3.94

$0.89 COP 3,176

-51.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 MAD 5.48

$0.84 COP 2,992

-28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.09 MAD 37.63

$2.28 COP 8,131

79.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 MAD 73.5

$10.64 COP 37.9K

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 MAD 18.71

$1.20 COP 4,276

69.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 MAD 17.59

$2.47 COP 8,809

-22.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 MAD 4.33

$0.86 COP 3,051

-45.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.79 MAD 99.3

$41.40 COP 147.6K

-73.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 MAD 5.30

$1.47 COP 5,255

-60.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MAD 4.43

$1.96 COP 6,997

-75.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.39 MAD 58.8

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-17.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 MAD 14.53

$0.95 COP 3,403

66.32%

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

$37.9K MAD 348.7K

$18.1K COP 64.6M

108.87%

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

$29.6K MAD 272.3K

$26.5K COP 94.4M

11.65%

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

$29.75 MAD 274

$82.3 COP 293.2K

-63.83%

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

$10.93 MAD 101

$9.50 COP 33.9K

15.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.66 MAD 374

$24.23 COP 86.4K

67.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.84 MAD 201

$25.89 COP 92.3K

-15.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.39 MAD 49.59

$19.00 COP 67.7K

-71.63%

Cinema Ticket

$3.87 MAD 35.60

$3.93 COP 14.0K

-1.53%

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

$160 MAD 1,470

$309 COP 1.1M

-48.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,763 MAD 34.6K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-36.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.95 MAD 386

$58.7 COP 209.1K

-28.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.23 MAD 324

$32.35 COP 115.3K

8.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.1 MAD 894

$103 COP 365.7K

-5.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.73 MAD 357

$108 COP 386.5K

-64.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 MAD 2,218

$476 COP 1.7M

-49.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$138 MAD 1,270

$379 COP 1.4M

-63.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$453 MAD 4,171

$838 COP 3.0M

-45.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 MAD 2,180

$724 COP 2.6M

-67.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$946 MAD 8,711

$2,791 COP 9.9M

-66.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$592 MAD 5,450

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-51.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$463 MAD 4,259

$512 COP 1.8M

-9.62%

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 Safi: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $241 in Safi versus $476 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 11% 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 $17.00 in Safi versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $173 vs $188 – making Safi 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

Safi vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 66%, 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 $917 per month in Safi and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Safi, 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 $17.00 in Safi 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 $611 in Safi and $1,013 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 Safi, where all-in costs run around $611, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Safi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Safi – 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 Safi. 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.