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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $619 in Guelma.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $965 in Guelma.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,312 in Guelma.

Living in Medellin is roughly 64% more expensive than Guelma, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Guelma 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$3.16 DZD 419

88.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$23.35 DZD 3,094

42.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$4.00 DZD 530

80.75%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$0.78 DZD 103

108.97%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.62 DZD 82.0

75.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.23 DZD 30.54

217.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.91 DZD 254

-8.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.30 DZD 305

40.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.03 DZD 137

1.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.14 DZD 19.13

821.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.64 DZD 217

-19.51%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.86 DZD 247

22.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$9.05 DZD 1,199

-51.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$5.23 DZD 693

12.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$16.46 DZD 2,182

-47.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$3.23 DZD 428

-30.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$2.81 DZD 372

-61.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.75 DZD 232

-13.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.79 DZD 105

79.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.59 DZD 77.9

98.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.50 DZD 66.8

134.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.65 DZD 86.3

36.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.28 DZD 36.70

221.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.70 DZD 358

-16.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$6.79 DZD 900

62.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.33 DZD 176

-14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.08 DZD 275

14.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.23 DZD 30.30

265.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$17.25 DZD 2,287

143.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.67 DZD 88.8

110.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.34 DZD 44.71

458.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$5.26 DZD 697

47.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.37 DZD 48.51

172.97%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$32.6K DZD 4.3M

-46.06%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$33.6K DZD 4.4M

-21.03%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$41.33 DZD 5,478

102.47%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$9.21 DZD 1,221

2.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$17.03 DZD 2,257

41.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$23.07 DZD 3,057

9.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$5.44 DZD 721

-24.63%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$94.6 DZD 12.5K

229.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$3,642 DZD 482.7K

64.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$36.56 DZD 4,846

58.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$46.15 DZD 6,117

-29.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$74.3 DZD 9,840

34.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$78.0 DZD 10.3K

39.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$194 DZD 25.7K

149.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$115 DZD 15.2K

230.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$274 DZD 36.4K

205.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$184 DZD 24.4K

292.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,153 DZD 152.9K

146.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,128 DZD 149.5K

8.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$306 DZD 40.5K

76.86%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Guelma: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $194 in Guelma. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 77% 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 $23.00 in Guelma. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $205, 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 Guelma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Guelma differ by about 64% in total monthly costs ($1,017 vs $619 including rent). Guelma is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Medellin pays 77% more on average, 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: $482 in Medellin versus $194 in Guelma. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 8% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Guelma – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $619 in Guelma versus $1,017 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 64% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.