Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Guelma Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Guelma

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,681 in Medellin versus $553 in Guelma.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $881 in Guelma.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $1,208 in Guelma.

Living in Medellin is roughly 204% more expensive than in Guelma, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Guelma is 60% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$3.19 DZD 425

151.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$17.03 DZD 2,266

181.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$4.08 DZD 544

142.40%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$0.74 DZD 98.9

322.97%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$0.66 DZD 88.0

189.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.30 DZD 40.29

403.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$1.53 DZD 204

103.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$2.12 DZD 283

171.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$0.91 DZD 121

58.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$0.14 DZD 19.07

1678.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$1.15 DZD 153

53.91%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$1.39 DZD 185

112.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$8.22 DZD 1,094

22.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$4.05 DZD 539

149.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$14.66 DZD 1,952

-2.46%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$2.19 DZD 291

89.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$2.84 DZD 377

-43.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$1.12 DZD 148

100.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$0.93 DZD 124

141.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$0.65 DZD 86.2

213.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$0.51 DZD 68.0

201.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$0.71 DZD 94.5

64.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.26 DZD 34.53

403.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$2.75 DZD 366

41.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$6.90 DZD 918

103.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$1.13 DZD 151

53.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$1.94 DZD 259

47.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$0.17 DZD 22.74

617.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

$6.02 DZD 802

1236.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$0.59 DZD 78.6

122.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$0.42 DZD 56.1

421.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$5.04 DZD 671

72.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$0.36 DZD 48.39

280.56%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$36.3K DZD 4.8M

-23.28%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$35.7K DZD 4.8M

0.17%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$38.32 DZD 5,100

362.68%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$9.03 DZD 1,202

53.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$12.46 DZD 1,658

138.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$20.91 DZD 2,783

114.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$4.58 DZD 609

45.20%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$100 DZD 13.3K

711.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$3,647 DZD 485.5K

151.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$32.92 DZD 4,382

171.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$35.23 DZD 4,689

67.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$70.1 DZD 9,325

97.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$76.3 DZD 10.2K

33.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$158 DZD 21.1K

571.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$106 DZD 14.1K

525.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$283 DZD 37.7K

567.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$210 DZD 28.0K

388.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$1,275 DZD 169.7K

228.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$387 DZD 51.5K

333.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

$314 DZD 41.7K

116.15%

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 Guelma: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $158 in Guelma. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 116% 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: $48.00 in Medellin vs $17.00 in Guelma for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $179 per month, with Guelma cheaper across the board.

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 Guelma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Guelma differ by about 204% in total monthly costs ($1,681 vs $553 including rent). Guelma is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 116% 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: $1,062 in Medellin versus $158 in Guelma. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 70% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Guelma – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $553 in Guelma versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Guelma but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Guelma 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 Guelma 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 Guelma gentler on the wallet – expenses run 204% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.