Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Algiers Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Algiers

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,641 in Medellin versus $598 in Algiers.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,447 in Medellin versus $999 in Algiers.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,253 in Medellin versus $1,399 in Algiers.

Living in Medellin is roughly 174% more expensive than in Algiers, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 19% above, Algiers is 57% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$3.53 DZD 469

127.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.7K

$28.65 DZD 3,808

68.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$4.62 DZD 614

103.90%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,045

$1.16 DZD 154

153.45%

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

$1.86 COP 5,738

$0.63 DZD 83.1

195.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,481

$0.30 DZD 40.24

386.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,887

$2.34 DZD 311

37.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$2.33 DZD 310

145.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,431

$0.91 DZD 121

58.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,393

$0.16 DZD 20.91

1400.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,230

$1.20 DZD 160

41.67%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,901

$1.40 DZD 186

106.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 31.0K

$8.15 DZD 1,083

23.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$4.01 DZD 533

148.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$14.75 DZD 1,960

-3.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$2.20 DZD 293

80.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,880

$2.85 DZD 379

-44.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,627

$1.12 DZD 149

91.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,082

$0.95 DZD 127

142.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,172

$0.63 DZD 84.0

217.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,648

$0.51 DZD 67.5

196.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,703

$0.84 DZD 111

42.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,948

$0.28 DZD 37.28

357.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$3.18 DZD 422

20.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$7.06 DZD 938

98.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,259

$1.33 DZD 177

28.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,444

$1.97 DZD 262

39.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,836

$0.38 DZD 50.9

228.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.9K

$7.08 DZD 940

1000.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,018

$0.55 DZD 73.3

138.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,684

$0.45 DZD 59.4

382.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$5.69 DZD 756

45.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,174

$0.35 DZD 46.00

288.57%

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

$27.5K COP 84.6M

$35.9K DZD 4.8M

-23.56%

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

$36.5K COP 112.5M

$35.9K DZD 4.8M

1.75%

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

$169 COP 519.5K

$45.12 DZD 5,996

273.94%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$10.91 DZD 1,450

24.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$12.93 DZD 1,718

119.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.8K

$26.24 DZD 3,487

74.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$28.34 DZD 3,766

-39.24%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$4.67 DZD 621

42.40%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$570 DZD 75.7K

40.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$6,496 DZD 863.2K

41.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 269.0K

$33.79 DZD 4,490

158.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.8K

$35.54 DZD 4,723

67.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.7K

$72.9 DZD 9,688

90.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.2K

$82.3 DZD 10.9K

24.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$171 DZD 22.8K

525.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$135 DZD 17.9K

384.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$459 DZD 61.0K

319.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$251 DZD 33.3K

318.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$2,552 DZD 339.2K

61.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$1,408 DZD 187.1K

20.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$337 DZD 44.8K

94.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

5.3

106.42%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Algiers: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,071 in Medellin and $171 in Algiers. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 94% 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: $48.00 in Medellin vs $29.00 in Algiers for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $182 per month, with Algiers 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 Algiers: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Algiers is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 174% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 94% 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: $1,071 in Medellin versus $171 in Algiers. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Algiers – a meal for two runs $29.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,641 per month in Medellin versus $598 in Algiers – a 174% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $598 in Algiers versus $1,641 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Algiers but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Algiers the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Algiers 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 Algiers 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 Algiers gentler on the wallet – expenses run 174% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.