Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ouargla Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ouargla

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $556 in Ouargla, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $876 in Ouargla, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,197 in Ouargla, rent included.

Medellin costs about 202% more than Ouargla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Ouargla is 59% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.5K

$3.45 DZD 459

132.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$15.16 DZD 2,018

215.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$4.44 DZD 591

122.75%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,941

$0.73 DZD 96.8

328.77%

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

$1.91 COP 6,061

$0.71 DZD 95.0

169.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,796

$0.31 DZD 41.93

387.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,921

$1.48 DZD 196

110.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$2.28 DZD 303

152.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,590

$0.94 DZD 125

53.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,898

$0.15 DZD 20.09

1560.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,634

$1.25 DZD 167

41.60%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,400

$1.26 DZD 167

134.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$8.15 DZD 1,084

23.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$3.84 DZD 511

163.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$16.75 DZD 2,229

-14.63%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$1.85 DZD 247

123.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,109

$2.56 DZD 341

-37.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,132

$1.23 DZD 164

82.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,154

$0.93 DZD 123

141.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,489

$0.61 DZD 81.7

234.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,876

$0.43 DZD 57.4

258.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,716

$0.78 DZD 104

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,150

$0.28 DZD 36.84

367.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$2.69 DZD 358

44.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$7.93 DZD 1,056

76.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,536

$1.26 DZD 168

38.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,116

$1.92 DZD 255

49.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,860

$0.15 DZD 19.73

713.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.6K

$6.10 DZD 812

1219.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,157

$0.61 DZD 81.3

114.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,947

$0.42 DZD 55.9

421.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$5.47 DZD 728

59.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,336

$0.35 DZD 46.17

291.43%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$34.8K DZD 4.6M

-20.04%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$40.7K DZD 5.4M

-12.18%

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

$177 COP 563.1K

$40.04 DZD 5,330

342.81%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$10.34 DZD 1,376

34.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$13.11 DZD 1,745

126.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.6K

$22.47 DZD 2,991

99.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$4.58 DZD 609

45.20%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$100 DZD 13.3K

712.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$3,136 DZD 417.4K

192.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.3K

$31.19 DZD 4,152

186.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.3K

$32.34 DZD 4,305

82.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 439.0K

$77.5 DZD 10.3K

78.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.4K

$73.6 DZD 9,793

38.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$158 DZD 21.1K

571.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$93.0 DZD 12.4K

613.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$306 DZD 40.7K

517.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$184 DZD 24.5K

459.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$1,465 DZD 195.0K

185.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

5.3

106.42%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Ouargla: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $158 in Ouargla. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $15.00 in Ouargla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $184 – making Ouargla 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 Ouargla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 202%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $834 in Ouargla. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ouargla, 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 $15.00 in Ouargla. 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 $556 in Ouargla. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ouargla, where all-in costs run around $556, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Ouargla it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ouargla – 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 Ouargla. 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.