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: $1,681 in Medellin versus $485 in M'Sila.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $788 in M'Sila.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $1,092 in M'Sila.

Living in Medellin is roughly 246% more expensive than in M'Sila, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, M'Sila is 65% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$1.93 DZD 256

315.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$19.14 DZD 2,548

150.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$3.94 DZD 525

151.02%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$0.40 DZD 53.7

682.50%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$0.56 DZD 74.5

241.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.18 DZD 24.04

738.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$2.29 DZD 304

36.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$2.27 DZD 303

153.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$0.87 DZD 115

65.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$0.12 DZD 15.86

1975.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$1.14 DZD 152

55.26%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$1.38 DZD 184

114.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$3.07 DZD 408

228.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$4.18 DZD 556

142.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$9.31 DZD 1,240

53.60%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$2.19 DZD 291

89.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$2.84 DZD 377

-43.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$1.12 DZD 149

100.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$0.58 DZD 77.0

287.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$0.53 DZD 70.4

284.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$0.29 DZD 38.03

431.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$0.12 DZD 15.76

875.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.28 DZD 37.47

367.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$2.78 DZD 370

40.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$6.76 DZD 900

107.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$1.30 DZD 173

33.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$1.97 DZD 262

45.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$0.15 DZD 19.93

713.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

$5.64 DZD 750

1326.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$0.61 DZD 80.9

114.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$0.45 DZD 59.5

386.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$5.89 DZD 784

47.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$0.35 DZD 46.66

291.43%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$36.4K DZD 4.8M

-23.47%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$35.3K DZD 4.7M

1.46%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$24.04 DZD 3,199

637.52%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$7.95 DZD 1,059

74.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$12.51 DZD 1,665

137.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$20.85 DZD 2,775

115.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$4.73 DZD 630

40.59%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$118 DZD 15.7K

587.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$6,496 DZD 864.6K

41.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$32.67 DZD 4,349

173.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$35.44 DZD 4,718

66.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$71.2 DZD 9,478

94.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$83.8 DZD 11.1K

21.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$156 DZD 20.8K

578.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$112 DZD 14.9K

492.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$277 DZD 36.8K

582.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$212 DZD 28.2K

384.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$1,288 DZD 171.5K

224.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$639 DZD 85.1K

161.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

$253 DZD 33.6K

168.30%

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: September 14, 2026

Last update for M'Sila: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $156 in M'Sila. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 168% 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: $48.00 in Medellin vs $19.00 in M'Sila for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $143 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, Sport & Entertainment. The 246% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 168% 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: $1,062 in Medellin versus $156 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 1327% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $813 in Medellin versus $118 in M'Sila. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $485 in M'Sila versus $1,681 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 246% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.