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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $633 in Oran, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,029 in Oran, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,425 in Oran, rent included.

Medellin costs about 63% more than Oran, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Oran are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Oran 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$2.86 DZD 379

115.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$24.86 DZD 3,294

31.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$3.85 DZD 511

90.65%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$0.84 DZD 112

104.76%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.62 DZD 82.0

69.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.36 DZD 47.94

113.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.40 DZD 186

20.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.90 DZD 252

66.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.03 DZD 136

1.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.09 DZD 12.37

1344.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.24 DZD 164

12.90%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.76 DZD 233

22.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$6.31 DZD 836

-30.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$5.12 DZD 679

14.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$16.31 DZD 2,161

-47.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$3.43 DZD 454

-33.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$3.11 DZD 412

-64.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.75 DZD 232

-12.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.73 DZD 96.8

84.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.57 DZD 75.2

98.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.39 DZD 52.2

189.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.46 DZD 60.5

84.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.28 DZD 36.73

225.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.74 DZD 363

-14.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$8.98 DZD 1,190

37.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.81 DZD 240

-33.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.46 DZD 326

1.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.15 DZD 19.50

460.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$4.72 DZD 625

759.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.04 DZD 138

36.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.29 DZD 38.93

562.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$2.43 DZD 323

215.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.34 DZD 44.72

191.18%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$16.4K DZD 2.2M

10.01%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$21.7K DZD 2.9M

22.72%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$44.01 DZD 5,832

83.62%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$10.73 DZD 1,422

-7.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$16.21 DZD 2,148

49.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$25.97 DZD 3,441

-3.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$15.54 DZD 2,060

23.23%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.99 DZD 661

-20.24%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$62.4 DZD 8,271

388.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$3,036 DZD 402.3K

99.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$56.1 DZD 7,430

3.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$53.8 DZD 7,127

-40.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$113 DZD 14.9K

-10.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$90.2 DZD 12.0K

19.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$197 DZD 26.2K

141.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$109 DZD 14.5K

244.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$311 DZD 41.3K

171.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$198 DZD 26.2K

269.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$987 DZD 130.8K

225.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$760 DZD 100.6K

80.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$294 DZD 39.0K

109.72%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Oran: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $197 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 110% 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 – $193 in Medellin vs $203 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 63%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $950 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $633 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 $633, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.