Cost of Living Comparison Between Setif and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Setif and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $435 per month in Setif vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $705 per month in Setif vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $974 per month in Setif vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Setif is about 75% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Setif sits 68% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.21 DZD 425

$8.03 COP 25.1K

-60.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.36 DZD 2,168

$48.26 COP 150.8K

-66.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.76 DZD 498

$9.77 COP 30.5K

-61.51%

Cappuccino

$0.60 DZD 79.8

$2.91 COP 9,095

-79.38%

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

$0.67 DZD 88.5

$1.94 COP 6,074

-65.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 DZD 26.51

$1.52 COP 4,754

-86.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.49 DZD 198

$3.09 COP 9,663

-51.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 DZD 289

$5.74 COP 17.9K

-62.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.74 DZD 97.8

$1.36 COP 4,262

-45.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.13 DZD 17.00

$2.39 COP 7,460

-94.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 DZD 139

$1.70 COP 5,314

-38.24%

Eggs

$0.87 DZD 116

$2.87 COP 8,967

-69.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.53 DZD 866

$9.94 COP 31.1K

-34.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.20 DZD 557

$10.78 COP 33.7K

-61.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.01 DZD 1,990

$14.73 COP 46.0K

1.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 DZD 285

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-47.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.79 DZD 370

$1.57 COP 4,911

77.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 DZD 154

$2.13 COP 6,642

-45.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.86 DZD 114

$2.21 COP 6,917

-61.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 DZD 72.3

$2.05 COP 6,396

-73.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 DZD 63.1

$1.50 COP 4,700

-68.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.42 DZD 56.3

$1.19 COP 3,718

-64.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.21 DZD 28.33

$1.16 COP 3,619

-81.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.72 DZD 361

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-30.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 DZD 756

$14.44 COP 45.1K

-60.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 DZD 167

$1.58 COP 4,948

-20.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 DZD 270

$2.83 COP 8,836

-28.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.13 DZD 17.13

$1.17 COP 3,650

-88.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.77 DZD 764

$77.7 COP 242.9K

-92.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 DZD 75.4

$1.28 COP 4,014

-55.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 DZD 54.6

$2.09 COP 6,537

-80.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.13 DZD 680

$8.62 COP 26.9K

-40.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 DZD 48.21

$1.30 COP 4,056

-72.31%

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

$29.3K DZD 3.9M

$27.7K COP 86.4M

5.91%

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

$21.0K DZD 2.8M

$35.5K COP 110.9M

-40.84%

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

$36.86 DZD 4,886

$176 COP 550.1K

-79.07%

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

$10.76 DZD 1,427

$13.37 COP 41.8K

-19.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.97 DZD 1,720

$29.89 COP 93.4K

-56.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.14 DZD 2,405

$44.76 COP 139.8K

-59.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.84 DZD 774

$17.06 COP 53.3K

-65.77%

Cinema Ticket

$4.51 DZD 598

$6.20 COP 19.4K

-27.26%

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

$574 DZD 76.1K

$793 COP 2.5M

-27.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,503 DZD 862.0K

$9,019 COP 28.2M

-27.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.19 DZD 2,279

$85.6 COP 267.5K

-79.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.44 DZD 2,047

$58.5 COP 182.7K

-73.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.47 DZD 4,702

$136 COP 425.9K

-73.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.5 DZD 7,616

$103 COP 322.2K

-44.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$69.4 DZD 9,196

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-93.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$49.21 DZD 6,524

$680 COP 2.1M

-92.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$138 DZD 18.3K

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-93.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$117 DZD 15.5K

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-90.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$343 DZD 45.5K

$4,111 COP 12.8M

-91.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$310 DZD 41.1K

$665 COP 2.1M

-53.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.3

10.94

-51.55%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Setif: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $69.4 in Setif versus $1,060 in Medellin. 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 115% 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 $16.00 in Setif versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $167 vs $303 – making Setif 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

Setif vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 295%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $652 per month in Setif and $2,574 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Setif, 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 $16.00 in Setif and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $435 in Setif and $1,716 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Setif, where all-in costs run around $435, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Setif it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Setif – 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 Setif. 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.