Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tlemcen Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tlemcen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $597 in Tlemcen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $909 in Tlemcen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,222 in Tlemcen, rent included.

Medellin costs about 73% more than Tlemcen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Tlemcen are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Tlemcen 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.5K

$2.17 DZD 288

172.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 119.1K

$12.14 DZD 1,610

169.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.2K

$3.80 DZD 504

89.47%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,186

$0.38 DZD 50.8

347.37%

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

$1.10 COP 3,996

$0.47 DZD 62.6

134.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,625

$0.21 DZD 27.73

242.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,067

$2.00 DZD 265

-16.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.3K

$2.41 DZD 320

28.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,837

$0.71 DZD 94.4

49.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,531

$0.16 DZD 20.92

681.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,060

$1.89 DZD 250

-26.46%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,229

$1.76 DZD 233

28.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.8K

$9.15 DZD 1,214

-52.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.2K

$3.49 DZD 462

67.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 32.1K

$13.46 DZD 1,785

-34.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,159

$2.48 DZD 329

-9.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,911

$3.24 DZD 430

-66.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,563

$1.65 DZD 218

-7.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,987

$0.65 DZD 86.0

110.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,109

$0.51 DZD 67.9

121.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,067

$0.54 DZD 71.9

107.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,080

$0.80 DZD 106

6.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,305

$0.37 DZD 48.70

145.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,477

$2.36 DZD 313

-1.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.5K

$10.28 DZD 1,363

8.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,342

$1.34 DZD 178

-11.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,617

$2.17 DZD 288

9.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,859

$0.18 DZD 24.25

338.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

$17.27 DZD 2,291

138.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,223

$0.65 DZD 86.2

121.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,952

$0.34 DZD 44.60

461.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 29.2K

$5.46 DZD 724

46.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,410

$0.33 DZD 44.11

184.85%

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

$17.9K COP 65.2M

$32.6K DZD 4.3M

-45.03%

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

$26.8K COP 97.4M

$34.0K DZD 4.5M

-21.28%

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

$84.0 COP 305.4K

$50.7 DZD 6,724

65.60%

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

$9.60 COP 34.9K

$7.63 DZD 1,012

25.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.9K

$16.73 DZD 2,219

44.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 94.1K

$23.26 DZD 3,084

11.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.2K

$5.55 DZD 736

-29.37%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$94.8 DZD 12.6K

223.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.5M

$3,639 DZD 482.6K

62.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 210.6K

$36.63 DZD 4,857

58.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 115.7K

$45.88 DZD 6,085

-30.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 363.3K

$75.1 DZD 9,963

32.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 389.7K

$78.1 DZD 10.4K

37.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$194 DZD 25.8K

150.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$117 DZD 15.5K

215.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$275 DZD 36.4K

200.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$187 DZD 24.8K

283.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$253 DZD 33.5K

115.95%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Tlemcen: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $194 in Tlemcen. 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 116% 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 $12.00 in Tlemcen. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $192 in Tlemcen – 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 Tlemcen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 73%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $896 in Tlemcen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tlemcen, 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 $12.00 in Tlemcen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $597 in Tlemcen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Tlemcen, where all-in costs run around $597, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Tlemcen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tlemcen – 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 Tlemcen. 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.