Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Oran Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Oran

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $624 in Oran, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,028 in Oran, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,433 in Oran, rent included.

Medellin costs about 62% more than Oran, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Oran are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Oran 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$2.78 DZD 369

115.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$25.02 DZD 3,320

31.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$3.83 DZD 509

85.12%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$0.83 DZD 111

106.02%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.66 DZD 87.3

66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.39 DZD 52.3

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.34 DZD 177

25.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$1.96 DZD 260

56.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$0.98 DZD 131

11.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.10 DZD 13.14

1160.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.24 DZD 165

11.29%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.67 DZD 222

31.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$6.58 DZD 873

-33.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$5.08 DZD 674

10.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$16.74 DZD 2,222

-46.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$3.48 DZD 462

-32.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$2.99 DZD 397

-64.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.84 DZD 244

-18.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$0.75 DZD 99.5

84.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.58 DZD 76.4

98.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.40 DZD 52.9

190.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.45 DZD 60.0

97.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.30 DZD 40.32

180.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$2.61 DZD 346

-12.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$9.70 DZD 1,288

9.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.84 DZD 244

-34.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.56 DZD 340

-3.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.17 DZD 22.16

405.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$4.65 DZD 617

790.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$1.05 DZD 139

40.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.29 DZD 38.99

575.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$2.33 DZD 309

232.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$0.33 DZD 44.23

187.88%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$16.6K DZD 2.2M

9.11%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$21.2K DZD 2.8M

25.02%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$44.56 DZD 5,914

84.58%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$10.95 DZD 1,453

-13.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$16.15 DZD 2,143

50.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$26.17 DZD 3,473

-1.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$15.88 DZD 2,107

19.65%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$5.15 DZD 684

-23.69%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$61.0 DZD 8,096

407.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$3,002 DZD 398.4K

98.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$55.4 DZD 7,351

5.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$52.9 DZD 7,022

-38.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$110 DZD 14.6K

-7.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$88.7 DZD 11.8K

22.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$195 DZD 25.9K

143.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$113 DZD 15.0K

235.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$309 DZD 41.0K

171.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$197 DZD 26.1K

267.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$1,027 DZD 136.3K

171.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$761 DZD 101.1K

59.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$304 DZD 40.4K

68.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.5

106.62%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Oran: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $195 in Oran. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 68% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $25.00 in Oran. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $206 in Oran – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Oran: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 62%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $935 in Oran. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Oran, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $25.00 in Oran. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $624 in Oran. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Oran, where all-in costs run around $624, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Oran it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Oran – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Oran. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.