Cost of Living Comparison Between M'Sila and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between M'Sila and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $485 in M'Sila versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $788 in M'Sila versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,092 in M'Sila versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in M'Sila costs roughly 71% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: M'Sila is 65% below, Medellin is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.93 DZD 256

$8.02 COP 25.4K

-75.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.14 DZD 2,548

$47.87 COP 152.0K

-60.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.94 DZD 525

$9.89 COP 31.4K

-60.16%

Cappuccino

$0.40 DZD 53.7

$3.13 COP 9,937

-87.22%

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

$0.56 DZD 74.5

$1.91 COP 6,058

-70.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 DZD 24.04

$1.51 COP 4,794

-88.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 DZD 304

$3.12 COP 9,917

-26.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 DZD 303

$5.75 COP 18.3K

-60.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 DZD 115

$1.44 COP 4,587

-39.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.12 DZD 15.86

$2.49 COP 7,894

-95.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 DZD 152

$1.77 COP 5,631

-35.59%

Eggs

$1.38 DZD 184

$2.96 COP 9,396

-53.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.07 DZD 408

$10.07 COP 32.0K

-69.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 DZD 556

$10.12 COP 32.1K

-58.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 DZD 1,240

$14.30 COP 45.4K

-34.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 DZD 291

$4.14 COP 13.1K

-47.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.84 DZD 377

$1.61 COP 5,106

76.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.12 DZD 149

$2.25 COP 7,129

-50.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 DZD 77.0

$2.25 COP 7,150

-74.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.53 DZD 70.4

$2.04 COP 6,486

-74.02%

Onion (1kg)

$0.29 DZD 38.03

$1.54 COP 4,873

-81.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.12 DZD 15.76

$1.17 COP 3,715

-89.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 DZD 37.47

$1.31 COP 4,148

-78.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.78 DZD 370

$3.90 COP 12.4K

-28.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.76 DZD 900

$14.01 COP 44.5K

-51.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 DZD 173

$1.74 COP 5,534

-25.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 DZD 262

$2.87 COP 9,112

-31.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.15 DZD 19.93

$1.22 COP 3,858

-87.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.64 DZD 750

$80.5 COP 255.5K

-92.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 DZD 80.9

$1.31 COP 4,155

-53.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 DZD 59.5

$2.19 COP 6,944

-79.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.89 DZD 784

$8.71 COP 27.7K

-32.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.35 DZD 46.66

$1.37 COP 4,334

-74.45%

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

$36.4K DZD 4.8M

$27.8K COP 88.4M

30.66%

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

$35.3K DZD 4.7M

$35.8K COP 113.6M

-1.44%

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

$24.04 DZD 3,199

$177 COP 562.9K

-86.44%

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

$7.95 DZD 1,059

$13.88 COP 44.1K

-42.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.51 DZD 1,665

$29.72 COP 94.4K

-57.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.85 DZD 2,775

$44.88 COP 142.5K

-53.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$4.73 DZD 630

$6.65 COP 21.1K

-28.87%

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

$118 DZD 15.7K

$813 COP 2.6M

-85.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,496 DZD 864.6K

$9,187 COP 29.2M

-29.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.67 DZD 4,349

$89.5 COP 284.1K

-63.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.44 DZD 4,718

$59.0 COP 187.2K

-39.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.2 DZD 9,478

$138 COP 438.8K

-48.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 DZD 11.1K

$102 COP 324.2K

-17.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$156 DZD 20.8K

$1,062 COP 3.4M

-85.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 DZD 14.9K

$663 COP 2.1M

-83.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$277 DZD 36.8K

$1,888 COP 6.0M

-85.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$212 DZD 28.2K

$1,027 COP 3.3M

-79.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,288 DZD 171.5K

$4,183 COP 13.3M

-69.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$639 DZD 85.1K

$1,675 COP 5.3M

-61.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$253 DZD 33.6K

$678 COP 2.2M

-62.73%

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 M'Sila: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $156 in M'Sila and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 168% 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 M'Sila vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $143 vs $305 per month, with M'Sila cheaper across the board.

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

M'Sila vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

M'Sila is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 246% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 168% 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: $156 in M'Sila versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in M'Sila runs roughly 1327% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $118 in M'Sila versus $813 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $485 in M'Sila versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in M'Sila but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes M'Sila the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, M'Sila 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.

Safety-wise, M'Sila 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 M'Sila gentler on the wallet – expenses run 246% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.