Cost of Living Comparison Between Guelma and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Guelma and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $619 in Guelma versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $965 in Guelma versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,312 in Guelma versus $2,188 in Medellin.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.16 DZD 419

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-46.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.35 DZD 3,094

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-29.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.00 DZD 530

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-44.67%

Cappuccino

$0.78 DZD 103

$1.63 COP 5,687

-52.15%

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)

$0.23 DZD 30.54

$0.73 COP 2,548

-68.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.91 DZD 254

$1.74 COP 6,065

9.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 DZD 305

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-28.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 DZD 137

$1.05 COP 3,662

-1.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.14 DZD 19.13

$1.29 COP 4,515

-89.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 DZD 217

$1.32 COP 4,617

24.24%

Eggs

$1.86 DZD 247

$2.27 COP 7,927

-18.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 DZD 1,199

$4.35 COP 15.2K

108.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.23 DZD 693

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-11.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.46 DZD 2,182

$8.61 COP 30.0K

91.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 DZD 428

$2.25 COP 7,844

43.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 DZD 372

$1.07 COP 3,733

162.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 DZD 232

$1.52 COP 5,322

15.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.79 DZD 105

$1.42 COP 4,964

-44.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 DZD 77.9

$1.17 COP 4,084

-49.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 DZD 66.8

$1.17 COP 4,077

-57.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 DZD 86.3

$0.89 COP 3,096

-26.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 DZD 36.70

$0.90 COP 3,146

-68.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.70 DZD 358

$2.25 COP 7,837

20.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.79 DZD 900

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-38.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 DZD 176

$1.14 COP 3,977

16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 DZD 275

$2.38 COP 8,301

-12.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 DZD 30.30

$0.84 COP 2,916

-72.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.25 DZD 2,287

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-58.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 DZD 88.8

$1.41 COP 4,912

-52.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 DZD 44.71

$1.90 COP 6,634

-82.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.26 DZD 697

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-32.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.37 DZD 48.51

$1.01 COP 3,509

-63.37%

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

$32.6K DZD 4.3M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

85.39%

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

$33.6K DZD 4.4M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

26.63%

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

$41.33 DZD 5,478

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-50.61%

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

$9.21 DZD 1,221

$9.45 COP 33.0K

-2.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.03 DZD 2,257

$24.11 COP 84.1K

-29.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.07 DZD 3,057

$25.31 COP 88.3K

-8.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$5.44 DZD 721

$4.10 COP 14.3K

32.68%

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

$94.6 DZD 12.5K

$312 COP 1.1M

-69.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,642 DZD 482.7K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-39.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.56 DZD 4,846

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-37.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.15 DZD 6,117

$32.56 COP 113.6K

41.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.3 DZD 9,840

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-25.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 DZD 10.3K

$109 COP 378.8K

-28.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$194 DZD 25.7K

$482 COP 1.7M

-59.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 DZD 15.2K

$379 COP 1.3M

-69.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$274 DZD 36.4K

$837 COP 2.9M

-67.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$184 DZD 24.4K

$723 COP 2.5M

-74.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,153 DZD 152.9K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-59.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,128 DZD 149.5K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-7.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$306 DZD 40.5K

$541 COP 1.9M

-43.46%

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 Guelma: June 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $194 in Guelma and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 77% 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: $23.00 in Guelma 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

Guelma vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Guelma and Medellin differ by about 64% in total monthly costs ($619 vs $1,017 including rent). Guelma is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Medellin earns 77% 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: $194 in Guelma versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

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

Dining out is cheaper in Guelma – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $619 in Guelma versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Guelma but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Guelma 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, Guelma 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 Guelma 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.