Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Biskra Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Biskra

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $562 in Biskra, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $908 in Biskra, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,255 in Biskra, rent included.

Medellin costs about 79% more than Biskra, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Biskra are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Biskra 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$2.81 DZD 371

110.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$29.23 DZD 3,864

12.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$3.99 DZD 528

86.22%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.43 DZD 189

15.38%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.07 DZD 142

2.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.31 DZD 40.65

151.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.00 DZD 265

-14.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.39 DZD 316

33.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.40 DZD 185

-21.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.15 DZD 20.03

740.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.35 DZD 178

2.22%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.45 DZD 192

50.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$6.38 DZD 843

-29.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$3.59 DZD 474

61.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$19.58 DZD 2,589

-54.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$3.70 DZD 489

-37.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$3.43 DZD 453

-69.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.82 DZD 240

-16.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.75 DZD 99.3

81.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.77 DZD 102

46.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.50 DZD 65.6

134.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.40 DZD 52.2

125.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.35 DZD 46.34

157.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$3.83 DZD 506

-41.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$6.50 DZD 860

86.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.31 DZD 173

-9.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.07 DZD 274

19.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.22 DZD 28.97

286.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$17.60 DZD 2,327

136.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.14 DZD 151

24.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.34 DZD 44.88

473.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$5.39 DZD 712

46.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.34 DZD 44.42

191.18%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$32.3K DZD 4.3M

-45.53%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$33.1K DZD 4.4M

-18.96%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$40.62 DZD 5,371

104.36%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$10.33 DZD 1,366

-6.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$10.50 DZD 1,388

124.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$23.30 DZD 3,081

8.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$5.34 DZD 706

-26.03%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$93.0 DZD 12.3K

239.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$3,639 DZD 481.1K

64.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$36.17 DZD 4,782

65.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$21.35 DZD 2,823

49.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$70.5 DZD 9,326

44.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$28.73 DZD 3,798

274.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$141 DZD 18.6K

237.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$108 DZD 14.2K

247.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$162 DZD 21.4K

424.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$149 DZD 19.7K

381.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,144 DZD 151.2K

185.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,148 DZD 151.8K

25.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$233 DZD 30.8K

168.13%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Biskra: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $141 in Biskra. 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 168% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $29.00 in Biskra. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $205 in Biskra – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Biskra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 79%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $842 in Biskra. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,003 in Medellin and $562 in Biskra. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 136% less in Biskra. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Biskra, where all-in costs run around $562, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Biskra it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Biskra – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Biskra. 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.