Cost of Living Comparison Between El Oued and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between El Oued and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $612 in El Oued versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $973 in El Oued versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,334 in El Oued versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in El Oued costs roughly 40% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: El Oued 54% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.97 DZD 394

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-50.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.17 DZD 2,541

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-42.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.29 DZD 569

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-40.66%

Cappuccino

$1.26 DZD 168

$1.63 COP 5,687

-22.70%

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

$0.62 DZD 82.0

$1.09 COP 3,821

-43.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 DZD 33.17

$0.73 COP 2,548

-65.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 DZD 255

$1.74 COP 6,065

10.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 DZD 323

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-24.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 DZD 135

$1.05 COP 3,662

-2.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.13 DZD 17.75

$1.29 COP 4,515

-89.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 DZD 217

$1.32 COP 4,617

23.48%

Eggs

$1.85 DZD 245

$2.27 COP 7,927

-18.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.95 DZD 1,186

$4.35 COP 15.2K

105.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 DZD 721

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-7.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.32 DZD 2,163

$8.61 COP 30.0K

89.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.07 DZD 407

$2.25 COP 7,844

36.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 DZD 375

$1.07 COP 3,733

164.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 DZD 236

$1.52 COP 5,322

17.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 DZD 98.3

$1.42 COP 4,964

-47.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 DZD 78.8

$1.17 COP 4,084

-49.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 DZD 65.2

$1.17 COP 4,077

-58.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 DZD 84.9

$0.89 COP 3,096

-28.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 DZD 40.17

$0.90 COP 3,146

-66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.72 DZD 360

$2.25 COP 7,837

20.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.53 DZD 865

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-40.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 DZD 178

$1.14 COP 3,977

17.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 DZD 286

$2.38 COP 8,301

-9.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 DZD 33.16

$0.84 COP 2,916

-70.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.45 DZD 2,313

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-58.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 DZD 94.5

$1.41 COP 4,912

-49.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 DZD 44.75

$1.90 COP 6,634

-82.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 DZD 699

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-31.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 DZD 44.38

$1.01 COP 3,509

-67.33%

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

$31.8K DZD 4.2M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

80.78%

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

$33.1K DZD 4.4M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

25.04%

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

$40.44 DZD 5,360

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-51.67%

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

$9.54 DZD 1,264

$9.45 COP 33.0K

0.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.08 DZD 2,264

$24.11 COP 84.1K

-29.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.69 DZD 3,140

$25.31 COP 88.3K

-6.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$5.34 DZD 707

$4.10 COP 14.3K

30.24%

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

$92.5 DZD 12.3K

$312 COP 1.1M

-70.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,638 DZD 482.2K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-39.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.43 DZD 4,961

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-35.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.65 DZD 6,050

$32.56 COP 113.6K

40.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.4 DZD 10.1K

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-23.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.2 DZD 10.2K

$109 COP 378.8K

-28.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$196 DZD 26.0K

$482 COP 1.7M

-59.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$117 DZD 15.5K

$379 COP 1.3M

-69.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$271 DZD 35.9K

$837 COP 2.9M

-67.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$184 DZD 24.3K

$723 COP 2.5M

-74.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,141 DZD 151.2K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-59.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,118 DZD 148.2K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-8.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$248 DZD 32.9K

$541 COP 1.9M

-54.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.42

13.43

-59.64%

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

Last update for El Oued: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $196 in El Oued and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 118% 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: $19.00 in El Oued vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $205 vs $190, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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

El Oued vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

El Oued and Medellin differ by about 66% in total monthly costs ($612 vs $1,017 including rent). El Oued is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Medellin earns 118% less. 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: $196 in El Oued versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $92.5 in El Oued versus $312 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 8% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $612 in El Oued versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in El Oued but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes El Oued the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, El Oued and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find El Oued gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.