Cost of Living Comparison Between Airdrie and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Airdrie and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,470 per month in Airdrie vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,433 per month in Airdrie vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,395 per month in Airdrie vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Airdrie costs about 144% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Airdrie sits 84% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.05 CA$25.11

$5.99 COP 21.3K

201.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.4 CA$97.9

$32.86 COP 116.9K

114.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.86 CA$15.10

$7.09 COP 25.2K

53.17%

Cappuccino

$3.71 CA$5.16

$1.71 COP 6,093

116.96%

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

$2.06 CA$2.86

$1.10 COP 3,910

87.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 CA$2.31

$0.78 COP 2,771

112.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 CA$8.13

$1.68 COP 5,976

248.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.98 CA$8.31

$3.07 COP 10.9K

94.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 CA$2.83

$1.09 COP 3,892

86.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 CA$3.67

$1.26 COP 4,492

109.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.09 CA$4.30

$1.38 COP 4,905

123.91%

Eggs

$3.77 CA$5.24

$2.19 COP 7,799

72.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.48 CA$17.36

$4.40 COP 15.7K

183.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.48 CA$17.35

$5.63 COP 20.0K

121.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.00 CA$22.25

$8.89 COP 31.6K

79.98%

Apples (1kg)

$4.29 CA$5.96

$2.34 COP 8,319

83.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 CA$1.81

$1.06 COP 3,764

22.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.33

$1.50 COP 5,355

155.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.24

$1.38 COP 4,906

173.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 CA$3.28

$1.15 COP 4,097

105.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 CA$3.04

$1.16 COP 4,141

88.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.67

$0.89 COP 3,170

196.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 CA$2.58

$0.84 COP 2,986

120.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.69 CA$20.43

$2.28 COP 8,116

544.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.16 CA$16.92

$10.64 COP 37.9K

14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 CA$3.90

$1.20 COP 4,268

134.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 CA$4.36

$2.47 COP 8,793

26.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 CA$3.37

$0.86 COP 3,045

181.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.0 CA$89.0

$41.40 COP 147.3K

54.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 CA$4.31

$1.47 COP 5,245

110.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 CA$1.88

$1.96 COP 6,984

-31.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.47 CA$32.64

$7.74 COP 27.5K

203.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 CA$1.50

$0.95 COP 3,397

13.68%

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

$24.7K CA$34.3K

$18.1K COP 64.5M

36.12%

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

$21.8K CA$30.3K

$26.5K COP 94.2M

-17.75%

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

$207 CA$288

$82.3 COP 292.7K

151.84%

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

$40.66 CA$56.6

$9.50 COP 33.8K

328.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.7 CA$81.6

$24.23 COP 86.2K

142.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.4 CA$123

$25.89 COP 92.1K

241.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$58.2 CA$80.9

$19.00 COP 67.6K

206.05%

Cinema Ticket

$13.20 CA$18.36

$3.93 COP 14.0K

235.88%

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

$699 CA$972

$309 COP 1.1M

125.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K CA$16.5K

$5,965 COP 21.2M

98.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.63 CA$69.0

$58.7 COP 208.7K

-15.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.83 CA$58.2

$32.35 COP 115.1K

29.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.8 CA$114

$103 COP 365.1K

-20.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 CA$144

$108 COP 385.8K

-4.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,351 CA$1,878

$476 COP 1.7M

183.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 CA$1,655

$379 COP 1.3M

214.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,848 CA$2,570

$838 COP 3.0M

120.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,615 CA$2,246

$724 COP 2.6M

123.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,268 CA$8,717

$2,791 COP 9.9M

124.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,274 CA$8,725

$1,211 COP 4.3M

417.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,908 CA$4,044

$512 COP 1.8M

468.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

13.43

-54.73%

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

Last update for Airdrie: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,351 in Airdrie versus $476 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 468% higher in Airdrie, 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 $70.0 in Airdrie versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $374 vs $188 – making Medellin 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

Airdrie vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,470 in Airdrie, $1,013 in Medellin – roughly 144% apart. Airdrie costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,705 per month in Airdrie and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,470 in Airdrie and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 54% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Airdrie at $2,470. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Airdrie it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,013 in Medellin to $2,470 in Airdrie. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Airdrie makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.