Cost of Living Comparison Between Sale and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Sale and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $779 per month in Sale vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,232 per month in Sale vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,684 per month in Sale vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Sale is about 23% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sale and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Sale 42% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 MAD 42.09

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-23.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.89 MAD 304

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-1.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.80 MAD 62.9

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-5.95%

Cappuccino

$1.98 MAD 18.35

$1.63 COP 5,687

21.47%

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

$0.69 MAD 6.36

$1.09 COP 3,821

-36.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 MAD 3.73

$0.73 COP 2,548

-45.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.42 MAD 50.2

$1.74 COP 6,065

211.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 MAD 38.88

$3.23 COP 11.3K

30.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 MAD 8.79

$1.05 COP 3,662

-9.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 MAD 5.31

$1.29 COP 4,515

-55.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MAD 17.26

$1.32 COP 4,617

41.67%

Eggs

$1.96 MAD 18.17

$2.27 COP 7,927

-13.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.06 MAD 121

$4.35 COP 15.2K

200.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.01 MAD 55.6

$5.88 COP 20.5K

2.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.03 MAD 111

$8.61 COP 30.0K

39.72%

Apples (1kg)

$1.52 MAD 14.06

$2.25 COP 7,844

-32.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 MAD 12.23

$1.07 COP 3,733

23.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 MAD 8.50

$1.52 COP 5,322

-39.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.89 MAD 8.21

$1.42 COP 4,964

-37.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 MAD 7.38

$1.17 COP 4,084

-31.62%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 MAD 7.45

$1.17 COP 4,077

-31.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 MAD 3.62

$0.89 COP 3,096

-56.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MAD 5.44

$0.90 COP 3,146

-34.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 MAD 40.30

$2.25 COP 7,837

93.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.84 MAD 44.74

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-56.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 MAD 25.20

$1.14 COP 3,977

138.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 MAD 22.86

$2.38 COP 8,301

3.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MAD 5.27

$0.84 COP 2,916

-32.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.11 MAD 232

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-40.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 MAD 4.86

$1.41 COP 4,912

-62.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MAD 4.40

$1.90 COP 6,634

-74.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.32 MAD 39.93

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-44.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MAD 14.04

$1.01 COP 3,509

50.50%

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

$37.3K MAD 344.9K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

112.11%

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

$29.6K MAD 273.8K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

11.71%

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

$32.93 MAD 305

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-60.65%

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

$11.00 MAD 102

$9.45 COP 33.0K

16.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.34 MAD 419

$24.11 COP 84.1K

88.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.22 MAD 132

$25.31 COP 88.3K

-43.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.46 MAD 217

$19.14 COP 66.8K

22.57%

Cinema Ticket

$6.41 MAD 59.3

$4.10 COP 14.3K

56.34%

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

$113 MAD 1,044

$312 COP 1.1M

-63.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,442 MAD 59.6K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

7.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.49 MAD 402

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-25.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 MAD 470

$32.56 COP 113.6K

55.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 MAD 994

$99.6 COP 347.7K

7.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.8 MAD 914

$109 COP 378.8K

-9.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 MAD 2,611

$482 COP 1.7M

-41.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 MAD 1,619

$379 COP 1.3M

-53.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$511 MAD 4,724

$837 COP 2.9M

-39.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$303 MAD 2,800

$723 COP 2.5M

-58.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,208 MAD 11.2K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-57.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$880 MAD 8,143

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-28.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$533 MAD 4,934

$541 COP 1.9M

-1.38%

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 Sale: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $282 in Sale 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 1% 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 $33.00 in Sale versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $200 in Sale vs $190 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Sale vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 30%, 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 $1,169 per month in Sale 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 Sale, 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 $33.00 in Sale 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 $779 in Sale 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 Sale, where all-in costs run around $779, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Sale it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sale – 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 Sale. 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.