Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and M'Sila Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and M'Sila

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $545 in M'Sila.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $842 in M'Sila.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,139 in M'Sila.

Living in Medellin is roughly 87% more expensive than M'Sila, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, M'Sila 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$1.95 DZD 259

205.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$19.26 DZD 2,552

73.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$3.87 DZD 513

86.82%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$0.41 DZD 54.1

297.56%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.52 DZD 68.4

109.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.21 DZD 27.56

247.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.91 DZD 253

-8.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.32 DZD 308

39.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.83 DZD 110

26.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.13 DZD 17.48

892.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.48 DZD 196

-10.81%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.48 DZD 196

53.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$3.17 DZD 420

37.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$5.49 DZD 728

7.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$9.25 DZD 1,225

-6.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$3.17 DZD 421

-29.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$2.74 DZD 364

-60.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.72 DZD 228

-11.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.54 DZD 71.5

162.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.49 DZD 64.8

138.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.31 DZD 41.15

277.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.14 DZD 18.91

535.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.30 DZD 40.17

200.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.67 DZD 354

-15.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$6.78 DZD 899

62.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.35 DZD 178

-15.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.07 DZD 275

14.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.23 DZD 30.34

265.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$17.59 DZD 2,331

138.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.71 DZD 93.5

98.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.34 DZD 44.84

458.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$5.46 DZD 723

41.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.36 DZD 47.18

180.56%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$36.0K DZD 4.8M

-51.10%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$33.5K DZD 4.4M

-20.93%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$23.73 DZD 3,145

252.63%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$7.84 DZD 1,039

20.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$17.96 DZD 2,381

34.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$23.01 DZD 3,049

10.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$6.07 DZD 804

-32.45%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$92.8 DZD 12.3K

236.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$3,606 DZD 477.9K

66.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$36.32 DZD 4,814

59.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$45.49 DZD 6,029

-28.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$75.9 DZD 10.1K

31.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$77.9 DZD 10.3K

39.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$197 DZD 26.1K

145.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$117 DZD 15.5K

225.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$276 DZD 36.6K

203.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$181 DZD 24.0K

299.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,131 DZD 149.9K

151.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$649 DZD 86.0K

88.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$251 DZD 33.3K

115.45%

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 M'Sila: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $197 in M'Sila. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 115% 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 $19.00 in M'Sila for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $159 per month, with M'Sila 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 M'Sila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

M'Sila is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 87% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 115% 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 $197 in M'Sila. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in M'Sila runs roughly 138% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $312 in Medellin versus $92.8 in M'Sila. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $545 in M'Sila versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in M'Sila but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes M'Sila the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, M'Sila 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 M'Sila 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 M'Sila gentler on the wallet – expenses run 87% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.