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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $562 in Biskra, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $917 in Biskra, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,272 in Biskra, rent included.

Medellin costs about 84% more than Biskra, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Biskra are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Biskra 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.5K

$2.96 DZD 393

100.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 119.1K

$28.44 DZD 3,771

15.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.2K

$3.84 DZD 509

87.50%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,186

$1.36 DZD 180

25.00%

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

$1.10 COP 3,996

$1.07 DZD 142

2.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,625

$0.33 DZD 44.14

118.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,067

$1.93 DZD 255

-13.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.3K

$2.42 DZD 321

28.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,837

$1.39 DZD 184

-23.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,531

$0.17 DZD 22.86

635.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,060

$1.38 DZD 183

0.72%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,229

$1.41 DZD 187

60.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.8K

$6.53 DZD 866

-33.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.2K

$3.58 DZD 474

63.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 32.1K

$19.08 DZD 2,531

-53.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,159

$3.73 DZD 494

-39.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,911

$3.47 DZD 460

-68.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,563

$1.88 DZD 250

-18.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,987

$0.77 DZD 102

77.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,109

$0.76 DZD 101

48.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,067

$0.46 DZD 60.6

143.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,080

$0.40 DZD 53.1

112.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,305

$0.33 DZD 43.53

175.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,477

$3.76 DZD 498

-38.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.5K

$7.21 DZD 956

54.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,342

$1.29 DZD 172

-7.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,617

$2.16 DZD 287

9.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,859

$0.24 DZD 31.91

229.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

$17.65 DZD 2,341

133.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,223

$1.17 DZD 155

23.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,952

$0.36 DZD 48.19

430.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 29.2K

$5.38 DZD 713

49.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,410

$0.36 DZD 48.34

161.11%

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

$17.9K COP 65.2M

$32.5K DZD 4.3M

-44.84%

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

$26.8K COP 97.4M

$33.1K DZD 4.4M

-18.98%

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

$84.0 COP 305.4K

$40.73 DZD 5,401

106.14%

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

$9.60 COP 34.9K

$10.61 DZD 1,407

-9.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.9K

$10.40 DZD 1,379

132.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 94.1K

$23.13 DZD 3,068

11.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.2K

$5.39 DZD 715

-27.27%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$92.8 DZD 12.3K

230.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.5M

$3,656 DZD 484.8K

61.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 210.6K

$37.25 DZD 4,940

55.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 115.7K

$21.06 DZD 2,793

51.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 363.3K

$69.9 DZD 9,268

42.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 389.7K

$28.60 DZD 3,793

274.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$144 DZD 19.2K

236.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$107 DZD 14.3K

242.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$163 DZD 21.6K

406.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$150 DZD 19.8K

378.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$416 DZD 55.2K

602.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$290 DZD 38.5K

385.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$232 DZD 30.8K

134.86%

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 Biskra: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $144 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 135% 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 $28.00 in Biskra. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $206 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 84%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $843 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 $1,034 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 133% 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 $1,034. 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.