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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $659 in Algiers.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,061 in Algiers.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,462 in Algiers.

Living in Medellin is roughly 57% more expensive than Algiers, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Algiers 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.20 DZD 424

85.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$23.36 DZD 3,096

40.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$4.83 DZD 639

49.07%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.03 DZD 136

65.05%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.62 DZD 81.6

77.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.23 DZD 30.51

213.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.92 DZD 255

-13.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.33 DZD 309

33.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.00 DZD 133

6.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.16 DZD 20.71

681.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.82 DZD 241

-23.63%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.80 DZD 238

25.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$8.96 DZD 1,187

-51.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$5.40 DZD 716

8.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$16.21 DZD 2,148

-45.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$3.09 DZD 410

-27.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.90 DZD 384

-62.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.72 DZD 228

-11.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.93 DZD 123

47.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.64 DZD 84.9

76.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.49 DZD 65.4

128.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.67 DZD 88.5

26.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.30 DZD 39.95

203.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.80 DZD 371

-16.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$6.87 DZD 910

62.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.28 DZD 170

-7.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.16 DZD 286

9.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.33 DZD 44.23

139.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$11.73 DZD 1,555

250.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.66 DZD 87.1

118.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.37 DZD 48.59

416.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$5.69 DZD 754

40.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.36 DZD 48.34

161.11%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$36.1K DZD 4.8M

-50.40%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$33.4K DZD 4.4M

-19.69%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$39.90 DZD 5,287

110.43%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$9.25 DZD 1,225

3.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$18.01 DZD 2,387

34.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$24.77 DZD 3,283

4.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$22.36 DZD 2,963

-14.85%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$6.03 DZD 799

-34.99%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$92.7 DZD 12.3K

230.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$3,598 DZD 476.7K

64.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$36.81 DZD 4,877

57.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$44.66 DZD 5,917

-28.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$74.7 DZD 9,900

33.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$78.6 DZD 10.4K

36.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$225 DZD 29.8K

116.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$149 DZD 19.7K

147.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$434 DZD 57.5K

90.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$258 DZD 34.1K

178.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$2,614 DZD 346.4K

11.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,433 DZD 189.9K

-1.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$340 DZD 45.1K

60.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.42

147.79%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Algiers: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $225 in Algiers. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 60% 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $23.00 in Algiers. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $207, 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

Medellin vs Algiers: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Algiers is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 57% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 60% more on average, 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: $487 in Medellin versus $225 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 $23.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $659 in Algiers – a 57% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $659 in Algiers versus $1,034 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 57% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.