Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ain Defla Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ain Defla

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,687 in Medellin versus $522 in Ain Defla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,535 in Medellin versus $871 in Ain Defla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,383 in Medellin versus $1,220 in Ain Defla.

Living in Medellin is roughly 223% more expensive than in Ain Defla, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Ain Defla is 62% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$2.02 DZD 268

290.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$23.24 DZD 3,080

91.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$2.37 DZD 315

291.98%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$0.67 DZD 89.4

332.84%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$0.71 DZD 93.7

154.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.52 DZD 69.4

198.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$1.78 DZD 236

82.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$2.97 DZD 394

97.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.06 DZD 140

30.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$0.12 DZD 15.59

1941.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$1.23 DZD 164

22.76%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$1.37 DZD 181

102.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$6.29 DZD 834

43.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$4.08 DZD 541

161.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$13.86 DZD 1,837

5.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$3.25 DZD 431

22.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$3.08 DZD 409

-55.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$1.44 DZD 190

59.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$1.01 DZD 134

100.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$0.79 DZD 104

164.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$0.57 DZD 74.9

185.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$0.61 DZD 80.7

77.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.26 DZD 34.01

380.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$2.64 DZD 350

52.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$8.86 DZD 1,174

52.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$2.30 DZD 305

-30.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$2.75 DZD 364

9.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$0.16 DZD 21.44

637.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

$5.90 DZD 782

1254.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$0.96 DZD 127

67.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$0.35 DZD 45.90

508.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$4.60 DZD 609

85.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$0.32 DZD 42.11

321.88%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$16.8K DZD 2.2M

68.16%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$28.7K DZD 3.8M

24.22%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$20.70 DZD 2,744

631.30%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$4.65 DZD 616

181.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$10.31 DZD 1,366

213.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$18.06 DZD 2,394

156.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$4.77 DZD 632

34.80%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$49.44 DZD 6,552

1588.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$3,321 DZD 440.2K

167.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$34.57 DZD 4,582

158.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$55.8 DZD 7,392

-0.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$82.5 DZD 10.9K

65.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$83.7 DZD 11.1K

30.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$155 DZD 20.6K

512.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$109 DZD 14.5K

511.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$249 DZD 33.1K

709.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$231 DZD 30.6K

397.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$1,140 DZD 151.1K

224.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$1,134 DZD 150.3K

39.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$440 DZD 58.3K

42.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

6.5

60.46%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Ain Defla: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $952 in Medellin and $155 in Ain Defla. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 42% 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: $45.00 in Medellin vs $23.00 in Ain Defla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $192 per month, with Ain Defla 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

Medellin vs Ain Defla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ain Defla is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 223% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 42% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $952 in Medellin versus $155 in Ain Defla. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ain Defla – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $45.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,687 per month in Medellin versus $522 in Ain Defla – a 223% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $522 in Ain Defla versus $1,687 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ain Defla but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Ain Defla the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ain Defla 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, Medellin and Ain Defla 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 Ain Defla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 223% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.