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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $531 in M'Sila.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $836 in M'Sila.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,142 in M'Sila.

Living in Medellin is roughly 89% more expensive than in M'Sila, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, M'Sila 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$1.91 DZD 253

209.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$19.50 DZD 2,578

69.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$3.90 DZD 516

90.51%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$0.40 DZD 53.0

312.50%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.56 DZD 73.5

96.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.21 DZD 27.96

271.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.00 DZD 264

-14.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.31 DZD 306

37.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$0.82 DZD 109

34.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.12 DZD 15.30

950.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.43 DZD 189

-3.50%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.53 DZD 203

42.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$3.15 DZD 417

42.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$5.30 DZD 701

9.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$9.69 DZD 1,281

-7.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$3.06 DZD 405

-24.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$2.89 DZD 382

-63.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.73 DZD 229

-12.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.58 DZD 76.9

134.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.53 DZD 69.7

113.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.31 DZD 41.03

277.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.14 DZD 18.95

542.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.28 DZD 36.53

221.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.79 DZD 369

-20.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$6.81 DZD 900

77.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.31 DZD 173

-9.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.16 DZD 286

14.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.25 DZD 33.14

240.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$17.58 DZD 2,325

136.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.65 DZD 86.6

118.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.34 DZD 44.67

473.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$5.53 DZD 731

42.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.35 DZD 46.38

182.86%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$35.9K DZD 4.7M

-50.92%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$33.9K DZD 4.5M

-20.85%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$24.32 DZD 3,215

241.32%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$7.98 DZD 1,056

21.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$17.84 DZD 2,359

31.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$23.14 DZD 3,059

9.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$6.01 DZD 795

-34.28%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$93.4 DZD 12.4K

238.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$3,661 DZD 484.1K

63.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$36.39 DZD 4,811

64.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$45.93 DZD 6,073

-30.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$76.0 DZD 10.0K

33.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$76.4 DZD 10.1K

40.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$195 DZD 25.8K

143.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$115 DZD 15.2K

224.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$274 DZD 36.3K

209.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$184 DZD 24.4K

290.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,113 DZD 147.1K

193.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$637 DZD 84.2K

126.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$248 DZD 32.8K

151.53%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for M'Sila: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $195 in M'Sila. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 152% 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 $193 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 89% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 152% 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: $475 in Medellin versus $195 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 137% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $316 in Medellin versus $93.4 in M'Sila. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $531 in M'Sila versus $1,003 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 89% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.