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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $619 per month in Safi vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $948 per month in Safi vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,277 per month in Safi vs $2,167 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 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.95 MAD 36.81

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-35.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.24 MAD 151

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-50.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.70 MAD 43.82

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-35.97%

Cappuccino

$1.96 MAD 18.25

$1.72 COP 5,600

13.95%

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

$0.62 MAD 5.79

$1.05 COP 3,420

-40.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 MAD 2.96

$0.77 COP 2,515

-58.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 MAD 15.41

$1.69 COP 5,488

-2.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 MAD 15.44

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-47.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 MAD 8.07

$1.05 COP 3,423

-17.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 MAD 4.71

$1.30 COP 4,236

-61.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 MAD 14.27

$1.40 COP 4,544

9.29%

Eggs

$1.87 MAD 17.47

$2.16 COP 7,047

-13.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.39 MAD 68.9

$4.39 COP 14.3K

68.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.81 MAD 63.5

$5.88 COP 19.1K

15.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.58 MAD 89.3

$8.64 COP 28.1K

10.88%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 MAD 11.85

$2.28 COP 7,426

-44.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 MAD 11.17

$1.11 COP 3,604

8.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.77 MAD 7.17

$1.53 COP 4,983

-49.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 MAD 6.65

$1.35 COP 4,410

-47.41%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 MAD 6.28

$1.13 COP 3,674

-40.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 MAD 6.52

$1.13 COP 3,692

-38.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.42 MAD 3.92

$0.85 COP 2,753

-50.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 MAD 5.95

$0.91 COP 2,975

-29.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 MAD 38.56

$2.34 COP 7,630

76.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.63 MAD 71.2

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-38.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 MAD 18.50

$1.20 COP 3,909

65.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 MAD 18.07

$2.49 COP 8,104

-22.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MAD 4.77

$0.84 COP 2,728

-39.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.85 MAD 101

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-73.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 MAD 4.95

$1.42 COP 4,623

-62.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MAD 4.80

$1.92 COP 6,235

-73.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.62 MAD 61.8

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-13.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 MAD 14.81

$0.99 COP 3,223

60.61%

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

$36.8K MAD 343.1K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

104.07%

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

$30.0K MAD 279.4K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

12.53%

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

$29.16 MAD 272

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-63.92%

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

$11.26 MAD 105

$9.95 COP 32.4K

13.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.37 MAD 376

$24.18 COP 78.7K

66.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.73 MAD 203

$25.08 COP 81.7K

-13.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.56 MAD 51.8

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-70.97%

Cinema Ticket

$3.94 MAD 36.73

$3.98 COP 13.0K

-1.01%

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

$160 MAD 1,491

$305 COP 993.5K

-47.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,729 MAD 34.8K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-38.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.18 MAD 393

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-27.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.17 MAD 337

$32.20 COP 104.8K

12.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.5 MAD 918

$101 COP 327.9K

-2.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.95 MAD 363

$108 COP 350.8K

-63.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$245 MAD 2,288

$477 COP 1.6M

-48.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$141 MAD 1,313

$376 COP 1.2M

-62.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$454 MAD 4,234

$845 COP 2.7M

-46.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 MAD 2,239

$730 COP 2.4M

-67.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$920 MAD 8,575

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-71.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$561 MAD 5,232

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-59.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$458 MAD 4,268

$617 COP 2.0M

-25.79%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $245 in Safi versus $477 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 35% 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 $16.00 in Safi versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $174 vs $193 – 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 67%, 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 $928 per month in Safi and $1,546 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 $16.00 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 $619 in Safi and $1,031 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 $619, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.