Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Laghouat Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Laghouat

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,687 in Medellin versus $519 in Laghouat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,535 in Medellin versus $848 in Laghouat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,383 in Medellin versus $1,177 in Laghouat.

Living in Medellin is roughly 225% more expensive than in Laghouat, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Laghouat is 62% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$3.73 DZD 495

111.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$21.07 DZD 2,793

111.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$4.75 DZD 629

95.58%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$1.02 DZD 135

184.31%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$0.63 DZD 83.3

187.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.17 DZD 23.09

811.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$1.65 DZD 218

96.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$2.30 DZD 305

155.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.03 DZD 137

33.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$0.15 DZD 19.23

1533.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$2.57 DZD 341

-41.25%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$1.91 DZD 253

45.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$4.49 DZD 596

101.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$5.86 DZD 777

81.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$15.22 DZD 2,018

-3.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$3.96 DZD 525

0.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$3.66 DZD 485

-62.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$2.08 DZD 276

10.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$1.09 DZD 144

85.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$0.60 DZD 79.5

248.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$0.62 DZD 81.6

162.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$0.55 DZD 72.5

96.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.32 DZD 42.57

290.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$2.31 DZD 306

74.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$7.03 DZD 931

91.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$1.28 DZD 169

25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$2.09 DZD 278

43.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$0.11 DZD 14.14

972.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

$5.32 DZD 705

1402.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$0.80 DZD 106

101.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$0.34 DZD 45.61

526.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$6.12 DZD 811

39.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$0.34 DZD 45.45

297.06%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$30.2K DZD 4.0M

-6.09%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$44.6K DZD 5.9M

-19.92%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$38.59 DZD 5,115

292.28%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$6.41 DZD 850

104.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$16.79 DZD 2,226

92.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$14.12 DZD 1,871

228.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$4.72 DZD 626

36.23%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$60.9 DZD 8,071

1271.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$4,302 DZD 570.1K

106.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$28.82 DZD 3,820

209.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$34.36 DZD 4,554

60.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$57.6 DZD 7,632

137.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$72.3 DZD 9,575

51.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$99.7 DZD 13.2K

855.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$56.7 DZD 7,516

1077.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$162 DZD 21.5K

1144.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$110 DZD 14.6K

941.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$442 DZD 58.6K

735.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$302 DZD 40.0K

425.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$356 DZD 47.2K

75.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

5.3

96.79%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Laghouat: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $952 in Medellin and $99.7 in Laghouat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 76% 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: $45.00 in Medellin vs $21.00 in Laghouat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $207 per month, with Laghouat 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 Laghouat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Laghouat is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 225% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 76% 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: $952 in Medellin versus $99.7 in Laghouat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,687 per month in Medellin versus $519 in Laghouat – a 225% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Laghouat runs roughly 1403% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $519 in Laghouat versus $1,687 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Laghouat but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Laghouat the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Laghouat is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Laghouat 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 Laghouat gentler on the wallet – expenses run 225% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.