Cost of Living Comparison Between Sanaa and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Sanaa and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $900 per month in Sanaa vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,466 per month in Sanaa vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,032 per month in Sanaa vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Sanaa is about 11% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sanaa and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Sanaa 33% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.11 YER 1,455

$5.99 COP 21.4K

2.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.83 YER 5,440

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-30.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.15 YER 2,418

$7.09 COP 25.3K

43.16%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 YER 432

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 YER 430

Cappuccino

$3.72 YER 888

$1.71 COP 6,115

117.54%

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

$1.14 YER 273

$1.10 COP 3,924

3.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 YER 110

$0.78 COP 2,781

-41.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 YER 455

$1.09 COP 3,906

75.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 YER 287

$1.26 COP 4,508

-4.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.47 YER 589

$1.38 COP 4,922

78.99%

Eggs

$4.03 YER 959

$2.19 COP 7,827

84.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 YER 2,350

$4.40 COP 15.7K

124.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.82 YER 1,625

$5.63 COP 20.1K

21.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.15 YER 4,563

$8.89 COP 31.8K

115.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.92 YER 933

$2.34 COP 8,349

67.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 YER 344

$1.06 COP 3,777

35.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 YER 574

$1.50 COP 5,374

60.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 YER 391

$1.38 COP 4,924

18.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 YER 405

$1.15 COP 4,111

47.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.57 YER 374

$1.16 COP 4,155

35.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 YER 151

$0.89 COP 3,182

-28.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 YER 176

$0.84 COP 2,997

-11.90%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.28 YER 782

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 YER 394

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 YER 772

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.91 YER 932

$2.28 COP 8,145

71.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 YER 101

$0.86 COP 3,056

-51.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$82.1 YER 19.6K

$41.40 COP 147.9K

98.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.21 YER 1,004

$1.47 COP 5,264

186.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.99 YER 952

$1.96 COP 7,009

103.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.32 YER 1,745

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-5.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.68 YER 640

$0.95 COP 3,409

182.11%

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

$16.4K YER 3.9M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

-9.35%

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

$33.5K YER 8.0M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

26.55%

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

$72.3 YER 17.2K

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-12.06%

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

$13.70 YER 3,266

$9.50 COP 33.9K

44.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.45 YER 9,163

$24.23 COP 86.5K

58.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.6 YER 15.9K

$25.89 COP 92.4K

157.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.68 YER 3,975

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-12.21%

Cinema Ticket

$5.90 YER 1,405

$3.93 COP 14.0K

50.13%

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

$116 YER 27.5K

$309 COP 1.1M

-62.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,808 YER 430.7K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-69.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.29 YER 9,363

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-33.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$148 YER 35.2K

$32.35 COP 115.5K

357.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.65 YER 9,924

$103 COP 366.4K

-59.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.36 YER 10.1K

$108 COP 387.2K

-60.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$167 YER 39.8K

$476 COP 1.7M

-64.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$95.3 YER 22.7K

$379 COP 1.4M

-74.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$410 YER 97.8K

$838 COP 3.0M

-51.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 YER 63.2K

$724 COP 2.6M

-63.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 YER 982.5K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

47.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$819 YER 195.1K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-32.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$191 YER 45.5K

$512 COP 1.8M

-62.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.25

13.43

-16.23%

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

Last update for Sanaa: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $167 in Sanaa 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 168% 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 $23.00 in Sanaa versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Sanaa vs $188 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

Sanaa vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 12%, 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 $1,350 per month in Sanaa 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 Sanaa, 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 $23.00 in Sanaa 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 $900 in Sanaa and $1,013 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 Sanaa, where all-in costs run around $900, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Sanaa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sanaa – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Sanaa. 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.