Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bejaia Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bejaia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $473 in Bejaia, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $795 in Bejaia, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,117 in Bejaia, rent included.

Medellin costs about 255% more than Bejaia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Bejaia is 65% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$2.43 DZD 324

230.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$13.51 DZD 1,804

254.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$4.55 DZD 607

117.36%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$0.25 DZD 33.44

1152.00%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.62 DZD 83.5

208.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.18 DZD 23.59

738.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$0.66 DZD 88.0

372.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$1.10 DZD 147

422.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$0.91 DZD 122

58.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.13 DZD 17.19

1815.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.15 DZD 154

53.91%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.40 DZD 187

111.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$6.39 DZD 854

57.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$4.08 DZD 544

148.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$14.79 DZD 1,976

-3.31%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.17 DZD 290

90.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$2.09 DZD 279

-22.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.16 DZD 155

93.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$0.99 DZD 133

127.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.64 DZD 85.9

218.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.39 DZD 52.7

294.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.84 DZD 112

39.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.28 DZD 37.86

367.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.59 DZD 346

50.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$6.97 DZD 931

101.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.27 DZD 170

37.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$1.13 DZD 151

153.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.40 DZD 53.6

205.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$17.80 DZD 2,378

352.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$0.59 DZD 79.1

122.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.48 DZD 64.6

356.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$5.62 DZD 751

54.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.36 DZD 48.58

280.56%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$36.0K DZD 4.8M

-22.74%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$35.2K DZD 4.7M

1.73%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$45.71 DZD 6,106

287.88%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$10.84 DZD 1,449

28.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$12.69 DZD 1,695

134.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$16.82 DZD 2,247

166.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$5.79 DZD 774

195.68%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$3.21 DZD 429

107.17%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$118 DZD 15.8K

586.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$2,381 DZD 318.0K

285.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$33.38 DZD 4,459

168.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$35.96 DZD 4,804

63.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$58.7 DZD 7,842

135.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$58.9 DZD 7,864

73.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$97.6 DZD 13.0K

988.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$56.1 DZD 7,496

1081.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$234 DZD 31.3K

707.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$198 DZD 26.5K

417.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$4,594 DZD 613.7K

-8.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$4,034 DZD 538.9K

-58.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$217 DZD 29.0K

211.73%

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 14, 2026

Last update for Bejaia: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $97.6 in Bejaia. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 212% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $14.00 in Bejaia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $170 – making Bejaia the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Bejaia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 255% more than Bejaia, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $710 in Bejaia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bejaia, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 352% less in Bejaia. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $118 in Bejaia. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bejaia, where all-in costs run around $473, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Bejaia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bejaia costs $473 versus $1,681 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bejaia. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.