Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Algiers and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Algiers: $585 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $12,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

28

Cost of Living Index in Algiers
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Algiers Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Algiers

🇩🇿 Algeria

$585

/mo nomad

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,639

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Algiers and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Algiers and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $585 in Algiers versus $1,639 in Medellin.

Algiers $585
Medellin $1,639

Estimated couple costs with rent: $962 in Algiers versus $2,413 in Medellin.

Algiers $962
Medellin $2,413

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,339 in Algiers versus $3,186 in Medellin.

Algiers $1,339
Medellin $3,186

Living in Algiers costs roughly 64% less than in Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Algiers is 57% below, Medellin is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.31 DZD 446

$8.09 COP 25.6K

-59.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.66 DZD 3,721

$47.05 COP 148.9K

-41.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.34 DZD 584

$9.50 COP 30.1K

-54.32%

Cappuccino

$1.12 DZD 151

$3.01 COP 9,540

-62.79%

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

$0.58 DZD 78.6

$1.80 COP 5,693

-67.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 DZD 35.87

$1.41 COP 4,469

-80.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 DZD 308

$3.18 COP 10.0K

-27.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 DZD 307

$5.75 COP 18.2K

-60.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 DZD 112

$1.51 COP 4,778

-44.37%

White Bread (500g)

$0.14 DZD 18.25

$2.38 COP 7,524

-94.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 DZD 156

$1.77 COP 5,606

-34.46%

Eggs

$1.19 DZD 160

$2.89 COP 9,146

-58.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.12 DZD 1,092

$10.19 COP 32.2K

-20.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.97 DZD 535

$9.87 COP 31.2K

-59.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.15 DZD 1,904

$13.99 COP 44.3K

1.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 DZD 270

$3.97 COP 12.6K

-49.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.74 DZD 369

$1.55 COP 4,911

76.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.12 DZD 150

$2.18 COP 6,907

-48.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.90 DZD 121

$2.18 COP 6,910

-58.72%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 DZD 79.3

$1.96 COP 6,210

-69.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.45 DZD 60.3

$1.59 COP 5,029

-71.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 DZD 101

$1.15 COP 3,625

-34.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.27 DZD 36.68

$1.24 COP 3,934

-78.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.14 DZD 422

$3.96 COP 12.5K

-20.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.87 DZD 925

$13.68 COP 43.3K

-49.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 DZD 170

$1.66 COP 5,252

-24.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 DZD 257

$2.26 COP 7,145

-15.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 DZD 53.0

$1.17 COP 3,696

-66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.68 DZD 899

$77.4 COP 244.8K

-91.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.54 DZD 73.3

$1.27 COP 4,013

-57.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 DZD 58.8

$2.05 COP 6,480

-78.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 DZD 770

$8.55 COP 27.1K

-33.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 DZD 44.30

$1.35 COP 4,262

-75.56%

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

$35.1K DZD 4.7M

$34.1K COP 107.8M

2.95%

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

$34.6K DZD 4.7M

$34.7K COP 109.7M

-0.21%

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

$43.80 DZD 5,894

$170 COP 536.8K

-74.18%

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

$9.85 DZD 1,325

$13.55 COP 42.9K

-27.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.48 DZD 1,679

$28.07 COP 88.8K

-55.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.66 DZD 3,318

$43.70 COP 138.3K

-43.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.77 DZD 3,737

$17.19 COP 54.4K

61.55%

Cinema Ticket

$4.48 DZD 603

$6.91 COP 21.9K

-35.17%

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

$564 DZD 75.9K

$797 COP 2.5M

-29.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,274 DZD 844.1K

$9,112 COP 28.8M

-31.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.69 DZD 4,263

$84.7 COP 268.1K

-62.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.81 DZD 4,684

$58.0 COP 183.4K

-39.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.8 DZD 9,391

$135 COP 427.1K

-48.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.7 DZD 10.9K

$97.9 COP 309.7K

-17.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$163 DZD 22.0K

$1,208 COP 3.8M

-86.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$130 DZD 17.5K

$642 COP 2.0M

-79.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 DZD 58.2K

$2,028 COP 6.4M

-78.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 DZD 32.2K

$1,012 COP 3.2M

-76.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,550 DZD 343.1K

$4,170 COP 13.2M

-38.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,334 DZD 179.5K

$1,910 COP 6.0M

-30.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$327 DZD 44.0K

$657 COP 2.1M

-50.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.3

10.94

-51.55%

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

Last update for Algiers: October 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Algiers

$174 29.8%

Medellin

$297 18.1% 70.6% $123

Accommodation & Living

Algiers

$130 22.2%

Medellin

$642 39.1% 393% $511

Clothing & Footwear

Algiers

$98 16.7%

Medellin

$169 10.3% 73% $71

Eating Out

Algiers

$72 12.4%

Medellin

$170 10.4% 134% $97

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Algiers

$66 11.3%

Medellin

$211 12.9% 220% $145

Sport & Entertainment

Algiers

$34 5.8%

Medellin

$58 3.5% 71.1% $24

Getting Around

Algiers

$11 1.9%

Medellin

$94 5.7% 752% $83

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $163 in Algiers and $1,208 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays about 2 times more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $28 in Algiers vs $47 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $174 vs $297 per month, with Algiers cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇩🇿 Algiers

🇨🇴 Medellin

🕒 Local time

03:50 3:50 AM

21:50 9:50 PM

6 h behind Algiers

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,415,811 Capital

2,486,723

💱 Currency

Algerian Dinar DZD د.ج

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 DZD = 7.43 USD

1,000 DZD = 6.68 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.16 USD

10,000 COP = 2.84 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to DZD – Algerian Dinar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇩🇿 Algerian Dinar (د.ج)

Algerian Dinar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 135 DZD (1,000 DZD = 7.43 USD). 1 EUR = 150 DZD (1,000 DZD = 6.68 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 3,164 COP (10,000 COP = 3.16 USD). 1 EUR = 3,523 COP (10,000 COP = 2.84 EUR).

USD to DZD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Algiers Medellin 8,580 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Algiers
Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Algiers vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Algiers is about 64% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 50% lower in Algiers. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $163 in Algiers versus $1,208 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Algiers – a meal for two runs $28 versus $47 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $585 per month in Algiers versus $1,639 in Medellin – Algiers is about 64% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

At $585 in Algiers versus $1,639 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Algiers but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Algiers the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Algiers is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Algiers gentler on the wallet – expenses run 64% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.