Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sidi Bel Abbes Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sidi Bel Abbes

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $549 in Sidi Bel Abbes, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $891 in Sidi Bel Abbes, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $1,233 in Sidi Bel Abbes, rent included.

Medellin costs about 212% more than Sidi Bel Abbes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Sidi Bel Abbes is 60% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$2.42 DZD 321

231.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$21.64 DZD 2,869

123.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$3.87 DZD 512

152.45%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$0.38 DZD 49.90

665.79%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$0.62 DZD 82.0

212.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$0.29 DZD 38.79

424.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

$1.69 DZD 224

82.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

$2.94 DZD 389

95.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$1.06 DZD 141

28.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$0.08 DZD 10.41

2887.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$1.03 DZD 136

65.05%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$1.63 DZD 216

76.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$10.16 DZD 1,346

-2.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$4.37 DZD 579

146.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$14.25 DZD 1,889

3.37%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$2.76 DZD 366

48.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$2.41 DZD 320

-34.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$1.41 DZD 187

51.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

$0.46 DZD 61.4

380.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

$0.34 DZD 45.49

502.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

$0.67 DZD 89.1

123.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

$0.62 DZD 82.5

91.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$0.35 DZD 46.11

231.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$1.95 DZD 258

100.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

$10.36 DZD 1,374

39.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

$2.22 DZD 295

-28.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

$0.92 DZD 122

207.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

$0.21 DZD 27.88

457.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

$6.22 DZD 824

1149.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

$0.74 DZD 97.6

72.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

$0.32 DZD 41.76

553.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

$2.45 DZD 325

251.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

$0.31 DZD 40.88

319.35%

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

$16.6K DZD 2.2M

66.13%

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

$30.2K DZD 4.0M

17.46%

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

$176 COP 550.1K

$20.65 DZD 2,738

752.64%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$9.30 DZD 1,233

43.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$17.17 DZD 2,277

74.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

$17.51 DZD 2,321

155.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$1.62 DZD 214

282.72%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$57.8 DZD 7,664

1272.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$3,333 DZD 441.9K

170.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

$33.83 DZD 4,485

153.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

$56.2 DZD 7,447

4.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

$83.4 DZD 11.1K

63.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

$85.7 DZD 11.4K

20.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$160 DZD 21.2K

561.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$107 DZD 14.1K

538.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$294 DZD 39.0K

583.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$192 DZD 25.5K

507.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

$1,452 DZD 192.5K

183.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$350 DZD 46.4K

89.92%

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: August 30, 2026

Last update for Sidi Bel Abbes: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $160 in Sidi Bel Abbes. 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 90% 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 $22.00 in Sidi Bel Abbes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $196 – making Sidi Bel Abbes 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 Sidi Bel Abbes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 212%, 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 $2,574 per month in Medellin and $824 in Sidi Bel Abbes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sidi Bel Abbes, 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 $22.00 in Sidi Bel Abbes. 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 $549 in Sidi Bel Abbes. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sidi Bel Abbes, where all-in costs run around $549, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Sidi Bel Abbes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sidi Bel Abbes – 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 Sidi Bel Abbes. 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.