Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Annaba Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Annaba

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $674 in Annaba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,083 in Annaba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,492 in Annaba.

Living in Medellin is roughly 51% more expensive than Annaba, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Annaba 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$3.01 DZD 399

97.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$32.38 DZD 4,291

2.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$6.38 DZD 846

13.32%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.47 DZD 195

10.88%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.74 DZD 97.6

47.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.27 DZD 35.99

170.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.01 DZD 266

-13.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.34 DZD 310

38.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.04 DZD 137

0.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.28 DZD 36.70

360.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.80 DZD 238

-26.67%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.06 DZD 273

10.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$6.36 DZD 843

-31.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.92 DZD 652

19.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$21.05 DZD 2,790

-59.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$3.17 DZD 420

-29.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$3.44 DZD 456

-68.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.79 DZD 237

-15.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.80 DZD 106

77.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.72 DZD 95.5

62.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.40 DZD 53.6

192.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.54 DZD 71.6

64.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.34 DZD 44.95

164.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$3.21 DZD 425

-29.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$7.45 DZD 987

48.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.29 DZD 171

-11.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.07 DZD 274

14.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.18 DZD 23.80

366.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$17.31 DZD 2,295

142.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.70 DZD 92.6

101.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.36 DZD 48.37

427.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$5.40 DZD 716

43.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.34 DZD 45.63

197.06%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$32.2K DZD 4.3M

-45.37%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$33.1K DZD 4.4M

-19.84%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$49.43 DZD 6,552

69.29%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$11.20 DZD 1,485

-15.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$22.89 DZD 3,034

5.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$23.82 DZD 3,158

6.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$4.55 DZD 603

320.66%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$1.97 DZD 261

108.12%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$39.14 DZD 5,187

696.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$3,659 DZD 485.0K

63.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$57.0 DZD 7,560

1.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$42.13 DZD 5,584

-22.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$69.8 DZD 9,245

42.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$86.6 DZD 11.5K

25.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$171 DZD 22.7K

182.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$123 DZD 16.3K

208.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$305 DZD 40.4K

174.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$205 DZD 27.2K

252.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$937 DZD 124.1K

203.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$623 DZD 82.5K

96.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$314 DZD 41.6K

72.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.75

133.57%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Annaba: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $171 in Annaba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 72% 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 $32.00 in Annaba. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $218, 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 Annaba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Annaba is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 51% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 72% 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: $482 in Medellin versus $171 in Annaba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Annaba runs roughly 142% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $312 in Medellin versus $39.14 in Annaba. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $674 in Annaba versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Annaba but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Annaba the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Annaba 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 Annaba 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 Annaba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.