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: $603 in Guelma versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $958 in Guelma versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,312 in Guelma versus $2,143 in Medellin.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Guelma 55% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.26 DZD 431

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-44.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.27 DZD 3,077

$32.96 COP 103.8K

-29.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.98 DZD 526

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-46.43%

Cappuccino

$0.77 DZD 102

$1.65 COP 5,207

-53.33%

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

$0.61 DZD 80.3

$1.10 COP 3,468

-44.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 DZD 27.75

$0.78 COP 2,458

-73.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 DZD 252

$1.72 COP 5,412

10.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 DZD 318

$3.18 COP 10.0K

-24.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 DZD 131

$1.10 COP 3,474

-10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.16 DZD 20.71

$1.26 COP 3,962

-87.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 DZD 213

$1.38 COP 4,349

16.67%

Eggs

$1.87 DZD 248

$2.18 COP 6,858

-14.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.93 DZD 1,181

$4.49 COP 14.1K

98.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.43 DZD 718

$5.79 COP 18.2K

-6.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.83 DZD 2,226

$8.97 COP 28.2K

87.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 DZD 419

$2.32 COP 7,308

36.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.91 DZD 385

$1.06 COP 3,352

174.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 DZD 223

$1.52 COP 4,774

11.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 DZD 100

$1.36 COP 4,270

-44.12%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 DZD 77.6

$1.13 COP 3,552

-47.79%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 DZD 64.9

$1.17 COP 3,689

-58.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 DZD 80.2

$0.90 COP 2,838

-32.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 DZD 37.01

$0.90 COP 2,823

-68.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.81 DZD 371

$2.23 COP 7,034

26.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.93 DZD 917

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-42.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 DZD 172

$1.19 COP 3,743

9.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 DZD 283

$2.48 COP 7,815

-13.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 DZD 33.10

$0.85 COP 2,687

-70.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.15 DZD 2,268

$41.62 COP 131.0K

-58.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 DZD 85.7

$1.42 COP 4,459

-54.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 DZD 44.56

$1.95 COP 6,141

-82.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.19 DZD 687

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-34.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 DZD 44.09

$0.99 COP 3,118

-66.67%

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

$32.3K DZD 4.3M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

83.60%

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

$33.9K DZD 4.5M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

26.32%

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

$41.42 DZD 5,477

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-50.10%

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

$9.18 DZD 1,214

$9.70 COP 30.5K

-5.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.81 DZD 2,223

$23.52 COP 74.1K

-28.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.68 DZD 3,132

$25.26 COP 79.5K

-6.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$5.42 DZD 717

$3.95 COP 12.4K

37.22%

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

$93.0 DZD 12.3K

$316 COP 994.2K

-70.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,547 DZD 468.9K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

-40.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.88 DZD 4,877

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-38.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.40 DZD 6,003

$31.82 COP 100.2K

42.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 DZD 10.1K

$102 COP 320.1K

-24.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.4 DZD 10.2K

$107 COP 338.3K

-27.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$195 DZD 25.8K

$475 COP 1.5M

-58.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 DZD 15.1K

$374 COP 1.2M

-69.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$277 DZD 36.6K

$849 COP 2.7M

-67.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 DZD 24.0K

$719 COP 2.3M

-74.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,147 DZD 151.6K

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-64.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,131 DZD 149.6K

$1,441 COP 4.5M

-21.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$312 DZD 41.3K

$624 COP 2.0M

-49.97%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $195 in Guelma and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 100% 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 $207 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

Guelma vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Guelma and Medellin differ by about 66% in total monthly costs ($603 vs $1,003 including rent). Guelma is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 100% 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: $195 in Guelma versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 7% 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 $603 in Guelma versus $1,003 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 66% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.