Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jijel Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jijel

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,030 per month in Medellin vs $568 in Jijel, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $912 in Jijel, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,255 in Jijel, rent included.

Medellin costs about 81% more than Jijel, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.2K

$2.48 DZD 328

138.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 COP 118.7K

$23.24 DZD 3,076

42.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 COP 25.9K

$4.58 DZD 606

58.30%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,137

$0.98 DZD 130

74.49%

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

$1.09 COP 3,915

$0.60 DZD 79.5

81.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,743

$0.23 DZD 30.46

234.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 COP 6,254

$1.93 DZD 256

-9.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 11.4K

$2.42 DZD 320

31.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,792

$0.90 DZD 119

17.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,657

$0.14 DZD 18.06

828.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,926

$1.42 DZD 187

-2.82%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,908

$1.79 DZD 237

23.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 COP 16.2K

$8.84 DZD 1,170

-48.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.7K

$4.40 DZD 583

31.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 32.1K

$12.38 DZD 1,638

-27.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 COP 8,182

$3.16 DZD 418

-27.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,791

$2.86 DZD 379

-62.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 5,411

$1.42 DZD 188

6.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,869

$0.70 DZD 92.5

94.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,146

$0.57 DZD 75.9

103.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,174

$0.35 DZD 46.88

234.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,960

$0.42 DZD 55.9

97.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 3,043

$0.30 DZD 39.88

183.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,423

$2.49 DZD 330

-5.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 COP 39.7K

$7.14 DZD 945

55.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,133

$1.35 DZD 179

-14.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,853

$2.15 DZD 285

14.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,827

$0.22 DZD 28.99

259.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

$17.34 DZD 2,294

141.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,140

$0.70 DZD 92.9

105.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,793

$0.20 DZD 26.45

850.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 COP 27.6K

$5.60 DZD 741

37.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,680

$0.36 DZD 47.84

186.11%

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

$17.7K COP 63.3M

$36.3K DZD 4.8M

-51.23%

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

$27.0K COP 96.7M

$33.8K DZD 4.5M

-20.03%

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

$81.4 COP 291.4K

$39.82 DZD 5,269

104.47%

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

$9.42 COP 33.7K

$7.04 DZD 932

33.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.77 COP 85.1K

$18.01 DZD 2,384

31.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 92.6K

$17.32 DZD 2,292

49.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 14.5K

$6.13 DZD 811

-33.93%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$87.1 DZD 11.5K

258.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,067 COP 21.7M

$1,411 DZD 186.7K

329.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 210.7K

$36.79 DZD 4,868

59.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 117.5K

$34.24 DZD 4,531

-4.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 359.6K

$63.8 DZD 8,442

57.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 380.3K

$67.6 DZD 8,947

57.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.8M

$202 DZD 26.7K

142.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$125 DZD 16.5K

196.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$274 DZD 36.2K

206.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

$184 DZD 24.4K

288.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

$804 DZD 106.4K

267.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

$424 DZD 56.1K

229.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

$259 DZD 34.3K

105.04%

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 20, 2026

Last update for Jijel: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Medellin versus $202 in Jijel. 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 105% 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 in Medellin versus $23 in Jijel. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $184 – making Jijel the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Jijel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 81%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,544 per month in Medellin and $852 in Jijel. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Jijel, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $23.00 in Jijel. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jijel, where all-in costs run around $568, than in Medellin at $1,030. In Jijel it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Jijel – 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 Jijel. 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.