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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $618 in Oran, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,000 in Oran, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,382 in Oran, rent included.

Medellin costs about 172% more than Oran, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Oran is 55% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$3.25 DZD 434

146.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$22.87 DZD 3,055

109.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$4.55 DZD 608

117.36%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$1.34 DZD 179

133.58%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.70 DZD 93.9

172.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.52 DZD 69.3

190.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$1.75 DZD 234

78.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$3.02 DZD 403

90.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.01 DZD 135

42.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.14 DZD 19.06

1678.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.01 DZD 134

75.25%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.67 DZD 223

77.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$10.14 DZD 1,355

-0.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$4.41 DZD 589

129.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$13.83 DZD 1,847

3.40%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$3.82 DZD 510

8.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$3.06 DZD 408

-47.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.44 DZD 193

56.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$0.95 DZD 127

136.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.77 DZD 103

164.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.62 DZD 82.4

148.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.64 DZD 84.9

82.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.40 DZD 53.8

227.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.71 DZD 362

43.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$10.43 DZD 1,394

34.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$2.30 DZD 307

-24.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.64 DZD 352

8.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.15 DZD 19.81

713.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$4.55 DZD 607

1668.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$0.94 DZD 126

39.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.34 DZD 45.57

544.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$2.32 DZD 310

275.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.32 DZD 42.33

328.13%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$17.1K DZD 2.3M

63.25%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$30.2K DZD 4.0M

18.43%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$20.05 DZD 2,678

784.29%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$8.99 DZD 1,201

54.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$17.62 DZD 2,353

68.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$27.81 DZD 3,715

61.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$17.89 DZD 2,389

-4.30%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$4.78 DZD 639

39.12%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$57.5 DZD 7,681

1313.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$3,369 DZD 450.1K

172.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$33.67 DZD 4,498

165.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$55.1 DZD 7,360

7.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$82.1 DZD 11.0K

68.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$85.7 DZD 11.4K

19.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$211 DZD 28.2K

402.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$131 DZD 17.5K

407.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$321 DZD 42.8K

488.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$207 DZD 27.6K

397.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$1,013 DZD 135.4K

312.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$766 DZD 102.4K

118.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$310 DZD 41.4K

118.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.5

68.31%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Oran: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $211 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 119% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $23.00 in Oran. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $213 – making Oran the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 172%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $927 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $23.00 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $618 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 $618, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.