Cost of Living Comparison Between Armstrong and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Armstrong and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,367 in Armstrong versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,430 in Armstrong versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,492 in Armstrong versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Armstrong is roughly 133% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Armstrong is 76% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.10 CA$30.87

$5.95 COP 20.8K

271.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.1 CA$99.2

$33.33 COP 116.3K

113.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.84 CA$15.14

$7.23 COP 25.2K

49.93%

Cappuccino

$3.68 CA$5.14

$1.63 COP 5,687

125.77%

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

$2.72 CA$3.80

$1.09 COP 3,821

149.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.72

$0.73 COP 2,548

167.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 CA$8.27

$1.74 COP 6,065

240.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.55 CA$9.15

$3.23 COP 11.3K

102.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 CA$3.78

$1.05 COP 3,662

158.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 CA$3.52

$1.29 COP 4,515

95.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CA$4.56

$1.32 COP 4,617

146.97%

Eggs

$3.87 CA$5.40

$2.27 COP 7,927

70.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.62 CA$13.44

$4.35 COP 15.2K

121.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.49 CA$14.65

$5.88 COP 20.5K

78.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.30 CA$21.36

$8.61 COP 30.0K

77.70%

Apples (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.63

$2.25 COP 7,844

79.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 CA$2.43

$1.07 COP 3,733

62.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.95 CA$5.52

$1.52 COP 5,322

159.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.06 CA$5.67

$1.42 COP 4,964

185.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 CA$3.87

$1.17 COP 4,084

136.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 CA$2.96

$1.17 COP 4,077

81.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.82 CA$3.94

$0.89 COP 3,096

216.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 CA$2.45

$0.90 COP 3,146

94.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.35 CA$18.64

$2.25 COP 7,837

493.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.78 CA$17.84

$11.04 COP 38.5K

15.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.44 CA$4.81

$1.14 COP 3,977

201.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 CA$5.41

$2.38 COP 8,301

63.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 CA$3.28

$0.84 COP 2,916

179.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.7 CA$89.0

$41.95 COP 146.4K

51.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.50 CA$3.49

$1.41 COP 4,912

77.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.62 CA$2.27

$1.90 COP 6,634

-14.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.09 CA$18.27

$7.75 COP 27.0K

68.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.70

$1.01 COP 3,509

19.80%

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

$24.9K CA$34.7K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

41.40%

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

$20.0K CA$27.9K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-24.69%

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

$163 CA$228

$83.7 COP 292.1K

94.83%

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

$45.56 CA$63.6

$9.45 COP 33.0K

382.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.2 CA$88.3

$24.11 COP 84.1K

162.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 CA$58.2

$25.31 COP 88.3K

64.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$10.62 CA$14.83

$4.10 COP 14.3K

159.02%

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

$444 CA$620

$312 COP 1.1M

42.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,025 CA$5,622

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-32.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 CA$84.1

$58.0 COP 202.6K

3.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.32 CA$54.9

$32.56 COP 113.6K

20.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.2 CA$115

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-17.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.8 CA$109

$109 COP 378.8K

-28.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,292 CA$1,805

$482 COP 1.7M

167.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,161 CA$1,621

$379 COP 1.3M

205.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 CA$2,848

$837 COP 2.9M

143.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,815 CA$2,535

$723 COP 2.5M

151.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,089 CA$5,710

$2,840 COP 9.9M

43.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,927 CA$5,484

$1,223 COP 4.3M

221.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.36

13.43

-52.64%

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

Last update for Armstrong: June 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,292 in Armstrong and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $71.0 in Armstrong vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $370 vs $190 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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

Armstrong vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 133% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,550 in Armstrong and $1,525 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,292 in Armstrong versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 52% less than in Armstrong. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $444 in Armstrong versus $312 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $2,367 in Armstrong, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Armstrong. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Armstrong, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 133% less than in Armstrong. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.