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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $914 per month in Sanaa vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,460 per month in Sanaa vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,006 per month in Sanaa vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Sanaa is about 11% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sanaa and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Sanaa 32% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.33 YER 1,499

$6.16 COP 20.1K

2.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.96 YER 5,433

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-29.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.47 YER 2,479

$7.34 COP 23.9K

42.64%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 YER 417

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 YER 431

Cappuccino

$3.69 YER 873

$1.72 COP 5,600

114.53%

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

$1.16 YER 274

$1.05 COP 3,420

10.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 YER 111

$0.77 COP 2,515

-38.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 YER 446

$1.05 COP 3,423

79.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 YER 289

$1.30 COP 4,236

-6.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.48 YER 588

$1.40 COP 4,544

77.14%

Eggs

$4.03 YER 953

$2.16 COP 7,047

86.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.87 YER 2,337

$4.39 COP 14.3K

124.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.69 YER 1,582

$5.88 COP 19.1K

13.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.58 YER 4,397

$8.64 COP 28.1K

115.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.85 YER 912

$2.28 COP 7,426

68.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 YER 329

$1.11 COP 3,604

25.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 YER 566

$1.53 COP 4,983

56.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 YER 389

$1.35 COP 4,410

21.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 YER 424

$1.13 COP 3,674

58.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 YER 384

$1.13 COP 3,692

43.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 YER 149

$0.85 COP 2,753

-25.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 YER 172

$0.91 COP 2,975

-19.78%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.38 YER 800

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 YER 395

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 YER 775

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.05 YER 958

$2.34 COP 7,630

73.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 YER 101

$0.84 COP 2,728

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.8 YER 19.4K

$40.57 COP 132.1K

101.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.15 YER 982

$1.42 COP 4,623

192.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.03 YER 953

$1.92 COP 6,235

109.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.02 YER 1,661

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-8.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.74 YER 648

$0.99 COP 3,223

176.77%

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

$16.7K YER 3.9M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

-7.55%

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

$33.9K YER 8.0M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

27.35%

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

$71.5 YER 16.9K

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-11.55%

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

$13.56 YER 3,209

$9.95 COP 32.4K

36.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.21 YER 9,042

$24.18 COP 78.7K

58.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.4 YER 16.0K

$25.08 COP 81.7K

168.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.43 YER 3,889

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-14.20%

Cinema Ticket

$5.89 YER 1,394

$3.98 COP 13.0K

47.99%

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

$112 YER 26.6K

$305 COP 993.5K

-63.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,809 YER 428.2K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-70.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.44 YER 9,336

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-32.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$147 YER 34.8K

$32.20 COP 104.8K

356.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$40.85 YER 9,668

$101 COP 327.9K

-59.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.77 YER 9,885

$108 COP 350.8K

-61.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$166 YER 39.4K

$477 COP 1.6M

-65.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$95.4 YER 22.6K

$376 COP 1.2M

-74.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 YER 95.4K

$845 COP 2.7M

-52.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$261 YER 61.7K

$730 COP 2.4M

-64.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,070 YER 963.3K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

26.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$808 YER 191.1K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-41.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$190 YER 45.0K

$617 COP 2.0M

-69.15%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $166 in Sanaa 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 224% 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 – $241 in Sanaa vs $193 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 13%, 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 $1,371 per month in Sanaa 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 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 $914 in Sanaa and $1,031 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 $914, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.