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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $666 per month in Sale vs $1,687 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,088 per month in Sale vs $2,535 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,510 per month in Sale vs $3,383 in Medellin, rent included.

Sale is about 60% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Sale sits 51% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.69 MAD 34.11

$7.89 COP 24.2K

-53.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.17 MAD 177

$44.53 COP 136.5K

-56.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.56 MAD 69.9

$9.29 COP 28.5K

-18.62%

Cappuccino

$1.87 MAD 17.28

$2.90 COP 8,874

-35.52%

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

$0.69 MAD 6.34

$1.81 COP 5,541

-61.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MAD 3.37

$1.55 COP 4,741

-76.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 MAD 25.22

$3.25 COP 9,962

-16.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 MAD 29.06

$5.88 COP 18.0K

-46.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 MAD 8.50

$1.38 COP 4,230

-33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 MAD 6.07

$2.45 COP 7,517

-73.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 MAD 18.86

$1.51 COP 4,617

35.10%

Eggs

$2.01 MAD 18.53

$2.78 COP 8,516

-27.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.66 MAD 108

$9.05 COP 27.7K

28.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.82 MAD 63.0

$10.65 COP 32.6K

-35.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.89 MAD 119

$14.63 COP 44.8K

-11.89%

Apples (1kg)

$1.49 MAD 13.72

$3.97 COP 12.2K

-62.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 MAD 11.83

$1.38 COP 4,219

-7.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 MAD 8.50

$2.30 COP 7,056

-60.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.93 MAD 8.62

$2.02 COP 6,185

-53.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 MAD 6.52

$2.09 COP 6,390

-66.03%

Onion (1kg)

$0.82 MAD 7.58

$1.63 COP 4,996

-49.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 MAD 4.24

$1.08 COP 3,313

-57.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 MAD 5.98

$1.25 COP 3,843

-48.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 MAD 37.27

$4.03 COP 12.4K

0.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.75 MAD 43.87

$13.47 COP 41.3K

-64.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 MAD 21.03

$1.60 COP 4,904

42.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 MAD 20.94

$3.00 COP 9,189

-24.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 MAD 5.67

$1.18 COP 3,611

-48.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.08 MAD 222

$79.9 COP 244.9K

-69.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 MAD 6.80

$1.61 COP 4,920

-54.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 MAD 4.84

$2.13 COP 6,533

-75.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.35 MAD 40.18

$8.52 COP 26.1K

-48.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 MAD 14.15

$1.35 COP 4,142

13.33%

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

$35.2K MAD 325.2K

$28.3K COP 86.8M

24.32%

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

$32.2K MAD 297.7K

$35.7K COP 109.4M

-9.68%

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

$39.17 MAD 362

$151 COP 463.8K

-74.12%

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

$10.90 MAD 101

$13.10 COP 40.1K

-16.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.56 MAD 402

$32.30 COP 99.0K

34.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.78 MAD 155

$46.33 COP 141.9K

-63.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$42.95 MAD 397

$17.26 COP 52.9K

148.84%

Cinema Ticket

$5.49 MAD 50.8

$6.43 COP 19.7K

-14.62%

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

$108 MAD 999

$835 COP 2.6M

-87.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,156 MAD 56.9K

$8,887 COP 27.2M

-30.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.82 MAD 312

$89.3 COP 273.7K

-62.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.96 MAD 452

$55.3 COP 169.5K

-11.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.3 MAD 696

$137 COP 418.5K

-44.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.7 MAD 635

$109 COP 335.1K

-37.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$212 MAD 1,954

$952 COP 2.9M

-77.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$106 MAD 981

$668 COP 2.0M

-84.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$374 MAD 3,457

$2,020 COP 6.2M

-81.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 MAD 2,454

$1,148 COP 3.5M

-76.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,208 MAD 11.2K

$3,696 COP 11.3M

-67.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$866 MAD 7,998

$1,586 COP 4.9M

-45.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$542 MAD 5,002

$625 COP 1.9M

-13.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

-52.06%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Sale: August 16, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $212 in Sale versus $952 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 15% 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 $19.00 in Sale versus $45.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $202 vs $297 – making Sale 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

Sale vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 153%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $999 per month in Sale and $2,530 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 $19.00 in Sale and $45.00 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 $666 in Sale and $1,687 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 $666, than in Medellin at $1,687. 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.