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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $603 in Guelma.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $958 in Guelma.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,312 in Guelma.

Living in Medellin is roughly 66% more expensive than in Guelma, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Guelma 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$3.26 DZD 431

81.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$23.27 DZD 3,077

41.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$3.98 DZD 526

86.68%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$0.77 DZD 102

114.29%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.61 DZD 80.3

80.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.21 DZD 27.75

271.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.90 DZD 252

-9.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.41 DZD 318

31.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$0.99 DZD 131

11.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.16 DZD 20.71

687.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.61 DZD 213

-14.29%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.87 DZD 248

16.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$8.93 DZD 1,181

-49.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$5.43 DZD 718

6.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$16.83 DZD 2,226

-46.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$3.17 DZD 419

-26.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$2.91 DZD 385

-63.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.69 DZD 223

-10.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.76 DZD 100

78.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.59 DZD 77.6

91.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.49 DZD 64.9

138.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.61 DZD 80.2

47.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.28 DZD 37.01

221.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.81 DZD 371

-20.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$6.93 DZD 917

74.89%

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

$2.14 DZD 283

15.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.25 DZD 33.10

240.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$17.15 DZD 2,268

142.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.65 DZD 85.7

118.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.34 DZD 44.56

473.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$5.19 DZD 687

52.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.33 DZD 44.09

200.00%

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

$33.9K DZD 4.5M

-20.83%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$41.42 DZD 5,477

100.41%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$9.18 DZD 1,214

5.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$16.81 DZD 2,223

39.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$23.68 DZD 3,132

6.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$5.42 DZD 717

-27.12%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$93.0 DZD 12.3K

239.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$3,547 DZD 468.9K

68.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$36.88 DZD 4,877

62.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$45.40 DZD 6,003

-29.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$76.6 DZD 10.1K

32.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$77.4 DZD 10.2K

38.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$195 DZD 25.8K

143.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$114 DZD 15.1K

227.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$277 DZD 36.6K

206.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$182 DZD 24.0K

295.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,147 DZD 151.6K

184.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,131 DZD 149.6K

27.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$312 DZD 41.3K

99.89%

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 Guelma: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $195 in Guelma. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 100% 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 $193 vs $207, 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 66% in total monthly costs ($1,003 vs $603 including rent). Guelma is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 100% 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 $195 in Guelma. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 7% 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 $603 in Guelma versus $1,003 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 66% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.