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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $462 in Setif, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $776 in Setif, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,089 in Setif, rent included.

Medellin costs about 119% more than Setif, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Setif are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Setif 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$2.38 DZD 315

151.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$16.25 DZD 2,157

102.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$3.88 DZD 515

82.73%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$0.63 DZD 83.8

171.43%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.58 DZD 76.5

89.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.23 DZD 30.58

239.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.42 DZD 189

18.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$2.20 DZD 292

39.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$0.74 DZD 97.8

47.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.14 DZD 19.00

800.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.03 DZD 136

33.98%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.81 DZD 240

20.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$6.50 DZD 862

-32.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$5.10 DZD 676

10.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$14.50 DZD 1,924

-38.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$2.76 DZD 366

-15.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$2.92 DZD 388

-63.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.46 DZD 193

2.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$0.78 DZD 103

76.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.52 DZD 69.2

121.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.47 DZD 62.2

146.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.46 DZD 60.6

93.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.28 DZD 36.64

200.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$2.79 DZD 370

-18.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$5.41 DZD 718

96.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.35 DZD 179

-11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.01 DZD 267

22.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.17 DZD 22.40

405.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$5.69 DZD 755

627.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$0.71 DZD 94.2

107.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.34 DZD 44.53

476.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$4.95 DZD 657

56.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$0.33 DZD 44.35

187.88%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$28.4K DZD 3.8M

-36.22%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$20.4K DZD 2.7M

29.70%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$39.44 DZD 5,234

108.54%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$9.56 DZD 1,269

-0.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$13.34 DZD 1,771

81.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$18.43 DZD 2,445

40.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$5.65 DZD 750

236.28%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$5.57 DZD 739

-29.44%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$93.5 DZD 12.4K

230.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$3,549 DZD 470.9K

68.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$24.93 DZD 3,309

135.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$26.95 DZD 3,576

20.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$44.23 DZD 5,871

131.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$55.0 DZD 7,295

97.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$74.8 DZD 9,931

536.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$56.2 DZD 7,458

574.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$179 DZD 23.8K

367.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$155 DZD 20.5K

367.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$957 DZD 127.1K

191.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$383 DZD 50.9K

215.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$304 DZD 40.3K

68.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.42

147.79%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Setif: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $74.8 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 69% 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 $16.00 in Setif. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $179 – 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 119%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $693 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 $33.00 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $462 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 $462, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.