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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $792 per month in Sale vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,237 per month in Sale vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,682 per month in Sale vs $2,120 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 41% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.58 MAD 42.37

$5.92 COP 21.4K

-22.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.93 MAD 305

$32.75 COP 118.2K

0.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.61 MAD 61.2

$7.20 COP 26.0K

-8.19%

Cappuccino

$2.06 MAD 19.08

$1.70 COP 6,140

21.18%

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

$0.63 MAD 5.85

$1.10 COP 3,966

-42.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 MAD 3.70

$0.72 COP 2,605

-44.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.42 MAD 50.1

$1.67 COP 6,022

224.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.14 MAD 38.30

$3.10 COP 11.2K

33.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 MAD 8.91

$1.06 COP 3,809

-9.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 MAD 5.06

$1.25 COP 4,497

-56.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 MAD 18.06

$1.39 COP 5,022

40.29%

Eggs

$1.99 MAD 18.39

$2.26 COP 8,168

-11.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.02 MAD 120

$4.33 COP 15.6K

200.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.00 MAD 55.5

$5.84 COP 21.1K

2.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.69 MAD 108

$8.83 COP 31.9K

32.39%

Apples (1kg)

$1.50 MAD 13.90

$2.24 COP 8,099

-33.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 MAD 12.44

$1.08 COP 3,882

24.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.90 MAD 8.33

$1.53 COP 5,522

-41.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.85 MAD 7.82

$1.37 COP 4,950

-37.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 MAD 7.37

$1.13 COP 4,078

-29.20%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 MAD 7.31

$1.12 COP 4,036

-29.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 MAD 3.94

$0.85 COP 3,057

-49.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 MAD 5.91

$0.91 COP 3,281

-29.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 MAD 40.30

$2.33 COP 8,414

87.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.13 MAD 66.0

$11.13 COP 40.2K

-35.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 MAD 24.15

$1.19 COP 4,309

119.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 MAD 23.55

$2.37 COP 8,553

7.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MAD 5.21

$0.79 COP 2,838

-29.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.44 MAD 226

$41.13 COP 148.5K

-40.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 MAD 4.88

$1.44 COP 5,184

-63.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 MAD 4.81

$1.91 COP 6,901

-72.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.47 MAD 41.37

$8.02 COP 28.9K

-44.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 MAD 14.76

$0.94 COP 3,385

70.21%

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

$37.2K MAD 344.1K

$17.9K COP 64.7M

107.58%

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

$29.9K MAD 277.0K

$26.8K COP 96.7M

11.78%

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

$33.03 MAD 305

$84.0 COP 303.1K

-60.66%

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

$10.91 MAD 101

$9.60 COP 34.7K

13.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.43 MAD 420

$24.16 COP 87.2K

88.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.25 MAD 132

$25.88 COP 93.4K

-44.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.67 MAD 219

$19.04 COP 68.7K

24.32%

Cinema Ticket

$6.48 MAD 59.9

$3.92 COP 14.1K

65.31%

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

$112 MAD 1,037

$306 COP 1.1M

-63.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,300 MAD 58.3K

$5,919 COP 21.4M

6.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.36 MAD 392

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-26.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.69 MAD 460

$31.82 COP 114.9K

56.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 MAD 987

$99.9 COP 360.6K

6.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 MAD 927

$107 COP 386.8K

-6.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$283 MAD 2,620

$487 COP 1.8M

-41.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 MAD 1,617

$368 COP 1.3M

-52.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$501 MAD 4,631

$826 COP 3.0M

-39.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$303 MAD 2,805

$716 COP 2.6M

-57.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,201 MAD 11.1K

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-58.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$852 MAD 7,882

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-39.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$410 MAD 3,792

$546 COP 2.0M

-24.86%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $283 in Sale 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 33% 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 – $204 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 $1,188 per month in Sale 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 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 $792 in Sale 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 Sale, where all-in costs run around $792, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.