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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $586 in Tlemcen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $908 in Tlemcen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,230 in Tlemcen, rent included.

Medellin costs about 71% more than Tlemcen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Tlemcen are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Tlemcen 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$2.29 DZD 303

158.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$12.14 DZD 1,605

171.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$4.01 DZD 530

85.29%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$0.35 DZD 46.66

371.43%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.48 DZD 63.5

129.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.21 DZD 27.66

271.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.90 DZD 252

-9.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.34 DZD 309

35.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$0.66 DZD 86.8

66.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.13 DZD 17.11

869.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.98 DZD 261

-30.30%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.72 DZD 227

26.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$8.81 DZD 1,165

-49.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$3.59 DZD 475

61.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$13.24 DZD 1,751

-32.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.56 DZD 338

-9.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$3.19 DZD 421

-66.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.59 DZD 210

-4.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.61 DZD 80.1

122.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.48 DZD 62.9

135.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.51 DZD 67.3

129.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.80 DZD 106

12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.36 DZD 47.74

150.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.24 DZD 296

-0.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$9.35 DZD 1,236

29.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.29 DZD 170

-7.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.15 DZD 284

15.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.17 DZD 22.75

400.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$17.62 DZD 2,329

136.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.71 DZD 93.7

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.36 DZD 47.88

441.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$5.39 DZD 712

46.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.33 DZD 44.09

200.00%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$31.9K DZD 4.2M

-44.90%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$34.0K DZD 4.5M

-21.28%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$50.5 DZD 6,672

64.51%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$7.87 DZD 1,040

23.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$16.86 DZD 2,229

39.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$23.63 DZD 3,124

6.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$5.56 DZD 735

-28.96%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$94.4 DZD 12.5K

234.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$3,564 DZD 471.2K

67.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$36.65 DZD 4,846

63.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$45.93 DZD 6,073

-30.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$75.9 DZD 10.0K

33.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$77.9 DZD 10.3K

38.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$192 DZD 25.4K

147.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$113 DZD 15.0K

229.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$272 DZD 36.0K

212.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$187 DZD 24.7K

284.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$245 DZD 32.4K

154.60%

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 27, 2026

Last update for Tlemcen: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $192 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 155% 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. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $187 – making Tlemcen 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 Tlemcen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 71%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $879 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 $1,003 in Medellin and $586 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 $586, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.