Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jijel

For one person, living is cheaper in Jijel: $525 a month against $1,692 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $14,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Jijel, Algeria
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,692
/mo nomad
Jijel
🇩🇿 Algeria
$525
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Jijel

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Jijel actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,692 per month in Medellin vs $525 in Jijel, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,692
  • Jijel $525

A couple spends around $2,471 per month in Medellin vs $842 in Jijel, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,471
  • Jijel $842

A family of three spends $3,249 per month in Medellin vs $1,159 in Jijel, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,249
  • Jijel $1,159

Medellin costs about 222% more than Jijel, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Jijel is 61% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Jijel
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.34 COP 27.0K
$2.47 DZD 334
237.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.53 COP 150.9K
$28.29 DZD 3,824
64.48%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.47 COP 30.7K
$4.38 DZD 592
116.21%
Cappuccino
$3.13 COP 10.2K
$0.89 DZD 120
251.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 COP 5,727
$0.59 DZD 79.8
200.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42 COP 4,619
$0.29 DZD 39.32
389.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 COP 10.2K
$2.27 DZD 308
38.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.70 COP 18.5K
$2.18 DZD 295
161.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Jijel
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.53 COP 4,969
$0.85 DZD 114
80.00%
White Bread (500g)
$2.29 COP 7,429
$0.16 DZD 21.73
1331.25%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 COP 6,306
$1.12 DZD 151
73.21%
Eggs
$3.07 COP 9,942
$1.19 DZD 161
157.98%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.99 COP 32.4K
$7.77 DZD 1,050
28.57%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.45 COP 33.9K
$3.91 DZD 529
167.26%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.96 COP 45.3K
$11.93 DZD 1,613
17.02%
Apples (1kg)
$4.05 COP 13.1K
$2.05 DZD 277
97.56%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,956
$2.71 DZD 367
-43.54%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.10 COP 6,823
$1.12 DZD 152
87.50%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.29 COP 7,437
$0.68 DZD 92.2
236.76%
Potato (1kg)
$2.11 COP 6,839
$0.61 DZD 82.1
245.90%
Onion (1kg)
$1.71 COP 5,542
$0.38 DZD 51.1
350.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 COP 3,794
$0.42 DZD 56.3
178.57%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 COP 5,123
$0.25 DZD 33.46
532.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.91 COP 12.7K
$2.29 DZD 310
70.74%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.04 COP 45.5K
$6.53 DZD 883
115.01%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 COP 5,712
$1.27 DZD 171
38.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 COP 8,793
$1.88 DZD 254
44.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Jijel
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.18 COP 3,825
$0.22 DZD 29.57
436.36%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.3 COP 247.4K
$6.60 DZD 892
1055.91%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 COP 5,859
$0.55 DZD 73.9
229.09%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.13 COP 6,904
$0.21 DZD 28.34
914.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.13 COP 26.4K
$5.44 DZD 735
49.45%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 COP 4,135
$0.33 DZD 44.01
287.88%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.4K COP 111.7M
$35.7K DZD 4.8M
-3.60%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.1K COP 110.7M
$34.1K DZD 4.6M
-0.03%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Jijel
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$178 COP 576.3K
$38.03 DZD 5,141
367.34%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.89 COP 45.0K
$6.70 DZD 905
107.31%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.74 COP 99.7K
$12.10 DZD 1,636
154.05%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Jijel
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.94 COP 136.0K
$16.89 DZD 2,283
148.31%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.80 COP 54.5K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.47 COP 24.2K
$4.34 DZD 587
72.12%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Jijel
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.6M
$83.6 DZD 11.3K
845.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.3K COP 39.9M
$1,338 DZD 180.9K
818.98%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Jijel
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.3 COP 279.9K
$31.82 DZD 4,301
171.34%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.3 COP 192.2K
$32.63 DZD 4,411
81.61%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$138 COP 448.6K
$61.6 DZD 8,321
124.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.8 COP 320.4K
$64.0 DZD 8,655
54.34%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Jijel
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,341 COP 4.3M
$197 DZD 26.6K
581.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$667 COP 2.2M
$122 DZD 16.6K
444.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,976 COP 6.4M
$270 DZD 36.5K
632.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,033 COP 3.3M
$192 DZD 25.9K
439.21%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,098 COP 13.3M
$772 DZD 104.4K
430.78%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,940 COP 6.3M
$394 DZD 53.3K
392.09%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Jijel
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$646 COP 2.1M
$254 DZD 34.3K
154.87%
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: November 2, 2026

Last update for Jijel: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$667
Jijel
$122 81.6% $545
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$307
Jijel
$163 47.1% $145
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$222
Jijel
$57 74.4% $166
Eating Out
Medellin
$173
Jijel
$63 63.6% $110
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$172
Jijel
$86 50.4% $87
Getting Around
Medellin
$93
Jijel
$9.1 90.3% $84
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$57
Jijel
$26 55.1% $31

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,341 in Medellin versus $197 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 in Medellin are about 2.5 times higher, 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 $47 in Medellin versus $28 in Jijel. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $307 vs $163 – making Jijel the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇩🇿 Jijel
🕒 Local time
08:42 8:42 AM
14:42 2:42 PM
6 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
134,839
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

DZD, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 3,242 COP (10,000 COP = 3.08 USD). 1 EUR = 3,635 COP (10,000 COP = 2.75 EUR).

Algerian Dinar exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 135 DZD (1,000 DZD = 7.4 USD). 1 EUR = 152 DZD (1,000 DZD = 6.6 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Jijel 8,820 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Jijel

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Jijel cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 222%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,538 per month in Medellin and $788 in Jijel. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Jijel, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $197 there versus $1,341 in Medellin.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and in Jijel?
Groceries cost about 89% more in Medellin, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Jijel?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $28 in Jijel. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Jijel?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Jijel, where all-in costs run around $525, than in Medellin at $1,692. In Jijel it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Jijel more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Jijel. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Medellin vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?