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: $609 in El Oued versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $957 in El Oued versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,305 in El Oued versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in El Oued costs roughly 39% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: El Oued 54% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.94 DZD 388

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-50.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.57 DZD 2,587

$32.96 COP 103.8K

-40.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.27 DZD 565

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-42.53%

Cappuccino

$1.27 DZD 169

$1.65 COP 5,207

-23.03%

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

$0.57 DZD 75.8

$1.10 COP 3,468

-48.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 DZD 30.27

$0.78 COP 2,458

-70.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 DZD 251

$1.72 COP 5,412

10.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 DZD 322

$3.18 COP 10.0K

-23.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 DZD 137

$1.10 COP 3,474

-5.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.13 DZD 17.06

$1.26 COP 3,962

-89.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 DZD 207

$1.38 COP 4,349

13.04%

Eggs

$1.87 DZD 247

$2.18 COP 6,858

-14.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.79 DZD 1,162

$4.49 COP 14.1K

95.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.27 DZD 697

$5.79 COP 18.2K

-8.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.24 DZD 2,147

$8.97 COP 28.2K

81.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 DZD 410

$2.32 COP 7,308

33.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 DZD 371

$1.06 COP 3,352

165.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 DZD 228

$1.52 COP 4,774

13.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 DZD 97.0

$1.36 COP 4,270

-46.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 DZD 78.2

$1.13 COP 3,552

-47.79%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 DZD 64.8

$1.17 COP 3,689

-58.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 DZD 84.7

$0.90 COP 2,838

-28.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 DZD 39.92

$0.90 COP 2,823

-66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.81 DZD 371

$2.23 COP 7,034

26.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.73 DZD 890

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-44.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 DZD 172

$1.19 COP 3,743

9.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 DZD 287

$2.48 COP 7,815

-12.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 DZD 30.15

$0.85 COP 2,687

-72.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.70 DZD 2,340

$41.62 COP 131.0K

-57.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 DZD 92.5

$1.42 COP 4,459

-50.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 DZD 44.83

$1.95 COP 6,141

-82.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.37 DZD 710

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-31.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.34 DZD 44.91

$0.99 COP 3,118

-65.66%

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

$32.0K DZD 4.2M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

81.99%

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

$33.1K DZD 4.4M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

23.54%

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

$41.48 DZD 5,484

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-50.03%

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

$9.49 DZD 1,255

$9.70 COP 30.5K

-2.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.01 DZD 2,249

$23.52 COP 74.1K

-27.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.59 DZD 3,120

$25.26 COP 79.5K

-6.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$5.29 DZD 699

$3.95 COP 12.4K

33.92%

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

$94.6 DZD 12.5K

$316 COP 994.2K

-70.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,569 DZD 471.9K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

-40.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.45 DZD 4,819

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-39.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 DZD 5,893

$31.82 COP 100.2K

40.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.2 DZD 10.1K

$102 COP 320.1K

-25.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 DZD 10.4K

$107 COP 338.3K

-26.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$196 DZD 25.9K

$475 COP 1.5M

-58.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 DZD 15.0K

$374 COP 1.2M

-69.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$272 DZD 36.0K

$849 COP 2.7M

-67.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 DZD 24.1K

$719 COP 2.3M

-74.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,144 DZD 151.3K

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-64.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$993 DZD 131.3K

$1,441 COP 4.5M

-31.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$260 DZD 34.4K

$624 COP 2.0M

-58.35%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $196 in El Oued and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 140% 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: $20.00 in El Oued vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $203 vs $193, 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 65% in total monthly costs ($609 vs $1,003 including rent). El Oued is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 140% lower in Medellin. 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 $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $94.6 in El Oued versus $316 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $609 in El Oued versus $1,003 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 65% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.