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 $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $615 in Sidi Bel Abbes, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $970 in Sidi Bel Abbes, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,324 in Sidi Bel Abbes, rent included.

Medellin costs about 67% more than Sidi Bel Abbes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Sidi Bel Abbes are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Sidi Bel Abbes 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$3.10 DZD 411

98.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$21.38 DZD 2,834

52.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$3.90 DZD 516

88.21%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$0.38 DZD 50.2

352.63%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.65 DZD 86.1

61.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.27 DZD 35.52

185.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.98 DZD 262

-14.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.38 DZD 316

33.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.00 DZD 132

5.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.08 DZD 10.76

1525.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.57 DZD 208

-10.83%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.81 DZD 240

19.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$8.93 DZD 1,184

-50.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$5.33 DZD 707

10.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$16.26 DZD 2,155

-46.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$3.19 DZD 423

-28.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.90 DZD 385

-61.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.76 DZD 233

-13.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.81 DZD 107

66.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.55 DZD 73.1

105.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.50 DZD 66.5

126.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.64 DZD 85.0

32.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.37 DZD 49.37

145.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.74 DZD 363

-14.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$9.31 DZD 1,234

32.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.30 DZD 172

-7.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.16 DZD 286

15.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.18 DZD 23.81

366.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$17.63 DZD 2,336

130.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.73 DZD 96.4

94.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.36 DZD 47.93

433.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$5.25 DZD 696

45.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.33 DZD 44.22

200.00%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$32.0K DZD 4.2M

-43.57%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$33.6K DZD 4.4M

-20.70%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$39.97 DZD 5,297

102.18%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$9.66 DZD 1,280

3.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$16.69 DZD 2,211

44.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$17.84 DZD 2,365

40.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.48 DZD 727

-27.37%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$93.9 DZD 12.4K

225.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$3,538 DZD 468.9K

71.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$36.99 DZD 4,902

57.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$46.04 DZD 6,101

-30.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$73.9 DZD 9,794

36.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$77.5 DZD 10.3K

38.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$192 DZD 25.5K

147.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$114 DZD 15.0K

231.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$270 DZD 35.8K

212.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$187 DZD 24.7K

291.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,190 DZD 157.8K

170.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$995 DZD 131.8K

37.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$348 DZD 46.1K

77.40%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sidi Bel Abbes: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $192 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 77% 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 $21.00 in Sidi Bel Abbes. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $210 in Sidi Bel Abbes – 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 Sidi Bel Abbes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 67%, 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 $923 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $21.00 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $615 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 $615, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.