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: $1,030 in Medellin versus $536 in M'Sila.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,586 in Medellin versus $845 in M'Sila.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,154 in M'Sila.

Living in Medellin is roughly 92% more expensive than M'Sila, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, M'Sila 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.2K

$1.91 DZD 252

209.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 COP 118.7K

$19.57 DZD 2,590

69.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 COP 25.9K

$3.83 DZD 507

89.30%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,137

$0.41 DZD 53.9

317.07%

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

$1.09 COP 3,915

$0.56 DZD 74.4

94.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,743

$0.16 DZD 21.57

381.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 COP 6,254

$2.00 DZD 265

-12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 11.4K

$2.40 DZD 318

32.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,792

$0.84 DZD 111

26.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,657

$0.11 DZD 14.75

1081.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,926

$1.43 DZD 189

-3.50%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,908

$1.45 DZD 192

52.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 COP 16.2K

$3.10 DZD 411

45.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.7K

$5.46 DZD 723

6.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 32.1K

$9.36 DZD 1,239

-4.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 COP 8,182

$3.13 DZD 414

-26.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,791

$2.79 DZD 369

-62.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 5,411

$1.71 DZD 226

-11.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,869

$0.58 DZD 77.1

134.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,146

$0.53 DZD 69.9

118.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,174

$0.29 DZD 38.25

303.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,960

$0.13 DZD 17.26

538.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 3,043

$0.30 DZD 39.92

183.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,423

$2.73 DZD 361

-13.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 COP 39.7K

$7.08 DZD 937

56.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,133

$1.34 DZD 178

-14.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,853

$2.11 DZD 279

17.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,827

$0.23 DZD 30.35

243.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

$17.27 DZD 2,285

142.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,140

$0.67 DZD 88.3

114.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,793

$0.36 DZD 47.72

427.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 COP 27.6K

$5.40 DZD 715

42.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,680

$0.35 DZD 46.79

194.29%

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

$17.7K COP 63.3M

$36.0K DZD 4.8M

-50.84%

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

$27.0K COP 96.7M

$33.8K DZD 4.5M

-19.98%

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

$81.4 COP 291.4K

$24.52 DZD 3,245

232.06%

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

$9.42 COP 33.7K

$7.69 DZD 1,017

22.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.77 COP 85.1K

$17.91 DZD 2,370

32.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 92.6K

$23.35 DZD 3,090

10.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 14.5K

$6.34 DZD 840

-36.12%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$92.8 DZD 12.3K

236.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,067 COP 21.7M

$3,597 DZD 476.1K

68.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 210.7K

$36.87 DZD 4,880

59.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 117.5K

$46.33 DZD 6,131

-29.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 359.6K

$75.0 DZD 9,924

33.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 380.3K

$76.9 DZD 10.2K

38.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.8M

$194 DZD 25.7K

151.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$117 DZD 15.5K

216.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$269 DZD 35.6K

211.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

$180 DZD 23.8K

296.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

$441 DZD 58.4K

569.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

$654 DZD 86.6K

113.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

$256 DZD 33.9K

107.85%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for M'Sila: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Medellin and $194 in M'Sila. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 108% 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 in Medellin vs $20 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 92% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 108% 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: $490 in Medellin versus $194 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 142% 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 $536 in M'Sila versus $1,030 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 92% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.