Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Setif Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Setif

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $435 in Setif, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $705 in Setif, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $974 in Setif, rent included.

Medellin costs about 295% more than Setif, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Setif is 68% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$3.21 DZD 425

150.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$16.36 DZD 2,168

194.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$3.76 DZD 498

159.84%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$0.60 DZD 79.8

385.00%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$0.67 DZD 88.5

189.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$0.20 DZD 26.51

660.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

$1.49 DZD 198

107.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

$2.18 DZD 289

163.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$0.74 DZD 97.8

83.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$0.13 DZD 17.00

1738.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$1.05 DZD 139

61.90%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$0.87 DZD 116

229.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$6.53 DZD 866

52.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$4.20 DZD 557

156.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$15.01 DZD 1,990

-1.87%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$2.15 DZD 285

90.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$2.79 DZD 370

-43.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$1.16 DZD 154

83.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

$0.86 DZD 114

156.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

$0.55 DZD 72.3

272.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

$0.48 DZD 63.1

212.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

$0.42 DZD 56.3

183.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$0.21 DZD 28.33

452.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.72 DZD 361

43.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

$5.71 DZD 756

152.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

$1.26 DZD 167

25.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

$2.03 DZD 270

39.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

$0.13 DZD 17.13

800.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

$5.77 DZD 764

1247.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

$0.57 DZD 75.4

124.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

$0.41 DZD 54.6

409.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

$5.13 DZD 680

68.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

$0.36 DZD 48.21

261.11%

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

$29.3K DZD 3.9M

-5.58%

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

$21.0K DZD 2.8M

69.04%

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

$176 COP 550.1K

$36.86 DZD 4,886

377.67%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$10.76 DZD 1,427

24.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$12.97 DZD 1,720

130.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

$18.14 DZD 2,405

146.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

$5.84 DZD 774

192.12%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$4.51 DZD 598

37.47%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$574 DZD 76.1K

38.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$6,503 DZD 862.0K

38.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

$17.19 DZD 2,279

398.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

$15.44 DZD 2,047

278.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

$35.47 DZD 4,702

284.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

$57.5 DZD 7,616

79.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$69.4 DZD 9,196

1427.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$49.21 DZD 6,524

1280.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$138 DZD 18.3K

1357.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$117 DZD 15.5K

900.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

$343 DZD 45.5K

1098.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$310 DZD 41.1K

114.77%

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: August 30, 2026

Last update for Setif: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $69.4 in Setif. 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 115% 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 $16.00 in Setif. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $167 – making Setif 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 Setif: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 295%, 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 $2,574 per month in Medellin and $652 in Setif. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Setif, 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 $16.00 in Setif. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,716 in Medellin and $435 in Setif. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Setif, where all-in costs run around $435, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Setif it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Setif – 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 Setif. 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.