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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $400 in Tlemcen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $735 in Tlemcen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,070 in Tlemcen, rent included.

Medellin costs about 320% more than Tlemcen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Tlemcen is 71% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$2.39 DZD 319

235.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$17.09 DZD 2,283

180.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$4.10 DZD 547

141.22%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$0.71 DZD 94.7

340.85%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.69 DZD 92.4

176.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.52 DZD 69.6

190.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$1.02 DZD 137

205.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$2.44 DZD 326

135.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$0.90 DZD 120

60.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.14 DZD 18.46

1678.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.48 DZD 198

19.59%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.63 DZD 218

81.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$10.14 DZD 1,355

-0.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$3.99 DZD 533

153.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$14.00 DZD 1,870

2.14%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.94 DZD 393

40.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$3.09 DZD 413

-47.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.39 DZD 186

61.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$0.97 DZD 129

131.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.77 DZD 104

164.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.63 DZD 84.1

144.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.62 DZD 82.8

88.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.40 DZD 53.7

227.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$1.66 DZD 222

134.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$10.36 DZD 1,384

35.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.00 DZD 133

74.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$1.11 DZD 149

158.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.15 DZD 20.44

713.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$0.94 DZD 126

39.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.32 DZD 42.22

584.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$2.37 DZD 317

267.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.33 DZD 44.20

315.15%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$16.5K DZD 2.2M

69.04%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$30.4K DZD 4.1M

17.76%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$20.56 DZD 2,747

762.35%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$8.04 DZD 1,074

72.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$17.15 DZD 2,291

73.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$21.22 DZD 2,835

111.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$4.95 DZD 662

34.34%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$39.66 DZD 5,298

1949.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$3,310 DZD 442.1K

177.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$24.71 DZD 3,301

262.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$41.97 DZD 5,607

40.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$34.95 DZD 4,669

295.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$50.9 DZD 6,792

100.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$275 DZD 36.8K

585.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$155 DZD 20.6K

564.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$253 DZD 33.8K

167.93%

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: September 14, 2026

Last update for Tlemcen: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 168% 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 $17.00 in Tlemcen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $198 – 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 320%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $600 in Tlemcen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $17.00 in Tlemcen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 54% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Tlemcen, where all-in costs run around $400, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.