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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $572 in Laghouat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $916 in Laghouat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,260 in Laghouat.

Living in Medellin is roughly 78% more expensive than Laghouat, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Laghouat 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$2.74 DZD 363

117.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$21.68 DZD 2,873

53.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$4.67 DZD 619

54.82%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.06 DZD 141

53.77%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.65 DZD 85.6

67.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.18 DZD 23.48

305.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.92 DZD 254

-9.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.41 DZD 320

34.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.99 DZD 131

6.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.33 DZD 43.53

290.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$2.46 DZD 326

-46.34%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.89 DZD 251

20.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$3.80 DZD 504

14.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.84 DZD 907

-14.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$16.78 DZD 2,225

-48.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$4.25 DZD 564

-47.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$3.86 DZD 511

-72.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.69 DZD 224

-10.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.18 DZD 156

20.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.69 DZD 91.5

69.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.68 DZD 90.0

72.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.71 DZD 93.6

25.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.32 DZD 42.61

181.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.38 DZD 315

-5.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$6.88 DZD 911

60.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.28 DZD 170

-10.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.17 DZD 287

9.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.12 DZD 15.63

600.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$17.38 DZD 2,304

141.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.76 DZD 100

85.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.30 DZD 40.35

533.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$6.27 DZD 831

23.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.35 DZD 45.91

188.57%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$29.5K DZD 3.9M

-40.38%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$56.9K DZD 7.5M

-53.46%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$40.65 DZD 5,388

105.85%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$9.24 DZD 1,225

2.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$19.36 DZD 2,566

24.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$17.88 DZD 2,370

41.55%

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

$94.5 DZD 12.5K

230.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$3,544 DZD 469.7K

69.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$28.93 DZD 3,835

100.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$47.21 DZD 6,258

-31.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$57.7 DZD 7,644

72.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$69.9 DZD 9,259

55.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$126 DZD 16.7K

282.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$71.3 DZD 9,452

432.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$174 DZD 23.0K

382.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$116 DZD 15.4K

522.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$448 DZD 59.4K

533.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$297 DZD 39.4K

311.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$354 DZD 46.9K

52.96%

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 Laghouat: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $126 in Laghouat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 53% 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 $22.00 in Laghouat. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $218, 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 Laghouat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Laghouat is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 78% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 53% 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 $126 in Laghouat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $572 in Laghouat – a 78% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Laghouat runs roughly 141% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $572 in Laghouat versus $1,017 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 78% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.