Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and El Oued Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and El Oued

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $609 in El Oued.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $957 in El Oued.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,305 in El Oued.

Living in Medellin is roughly 65% more expensive than in El Oued, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, El Oued 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$2.94 DZD 388

101.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$19.57 DZD 2,587

68.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$4.27 DZD 565

74.00%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.27 DZD 169

29.92%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.57 DZD 75.8

92.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.23 DZD 30.27

239.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.90 DZD 251

-9.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.43 DZD 322

30.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.04 DZD 137

5.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.13 DZD 17.06

869.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.56 DZD 207

-11.54%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.87 DZD 247

16.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$8.79 DZD 1,162

-48.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$5.27 DZD 697

9.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$16.24 DZD 2,147

-44.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$3.10 DZD 410

-25.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$2.81 DZD 371

-62.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.72 DZD 228

-11.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.73 DZD 97.0

86.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.59 DZD 78.2

91.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.49 DZD 64.8

138.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.64 DZD 84.7

40.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.30 DZD 39.92

200.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.81 DZD 371

-20.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$6.73 DZD 890

80.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.30 DZD 172

-8.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.17 DZD 287

14.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.23 DZD 30.15

269.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$17.70 DZD 2,340

135.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.70 DZD 92.5

102.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.34 DZD 44.83

473.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$5.37 DZD 710

46.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.34 DZD 44.91

191.18%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$32.0K DZD 4.2M

-45.05%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$33.1K DZD 4.4M

-19.05%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$41.48 DZD 5,484

100.12%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$9.49 DZD 1,255

2.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$17.01 DZD 2,249

38.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$23.59 DZD 3,120

7.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$5.29 DZD 699

-25.33%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$94.6 DZD 12.5K

233.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$3,569 DZD 471.9K

67.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$36.45 DZD 4,819

64.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$44.57 DZD 5,893

-28.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$76.2 DZD 10.1K

33.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$78.7 DZD 10.4K

36.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$196 DZD 25.9K

142.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$114 DZD 15.0K

228.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$272 DZD 36.0K

211.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$182 DZD 24.1K

294.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,144 DZD 151.3K

185.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$993 DZD 131.3K

45.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$260 DZD 34.4K

140.07%

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 El Oued: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $196 in El Oued. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 140% 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 $20.00 in El Oued. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $203, 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 El Oued: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and El Oued differ by about 65% in total monthly costs ($1,003 vs $609 including rent). El Oued is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 140% higher in Medellin, 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: $475 in Medellin versus $196 in El Oued. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $316 in Medellin versus $94.6 in El Oued. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $609 in El Oued versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in El Oued but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes El Oued the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Medellin and El Oued 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 El Oued gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.