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: $2,433 in Armstrong versus $1,014 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,470 in Armstrong versus $1,596 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,506 in Armstrong versus $2,178 in Medellin.

Living in Armstrong is roughly 140% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Armstrong is 81% above, Medellin is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.21 CA$30.42

$6.14 COP 22.2K

261.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.0 CA$97.3

$33.05 COP 119.3K

114.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.95 CA$15.00

$7.32 COP 26.4K

49.59%

Cappuccino

$3.70 CA$5.07

$1.66 COP 5,987

122.89%

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

$2.62 CA$3.59

$1.10 COP 3,987

138.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 CA$2.62

$0.78 COP 2,822

144.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.98 CA$8.19

$1.71 COP 6,188

249.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.64 CA$9.10

$3.17 COP 11.5K

109.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.78 CA$3.81

$1.11 COP 4,012

150.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 CA$3.48

$1.31 COP 4,719

93.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.66

$1.38 COP 4,980

146.38%

Eggs

$3.82 CA$5.23

$2.22 COP 8,009

72.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 CA$13.62

$4.34 COP 15.7K

129.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.60 CA$14.52

$5.80 COP 20.9K

82.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.82 CA$21.68

$8.98 COP 32.4K

76.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.27

$2.26 COP 8,164

69.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 CA$2.36

$1.11 COP 4,023

54.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.01 CA$5.50

$1.46 COP 5,284

174.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.08 CA$5.58

$1.37 COP 4,929

197.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.64

$1.11 COP 4,009

138.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 CA$3.05

$1.16 COP 4,199

91.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.83 CA$3.87

$0.89 COP 3,211

217.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 CA$2.40

$0.87 COP 3,124

101.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.37 CA$18.32

$2.35 COP 8,495

468.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.25 CA$18.15

$10.86 COP 39.2K

22.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.47 CA$4.76

$1.20 COP 4,330

189.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 CA$5.28

$2.48 COP 8,946

55.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.33 CA$3.20

$0.79 COP 2,842

194.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.3 CA$86.7

$40.77 COP 147.2K

55.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.49 CA$3.41

$1.42 COP 5,137

75.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 CA$2.28

$1.91 COP 6,900

-13.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.76 CA$17.48

$7.65 COP 27.6K

66.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 CA$1.74

$0.97 COP 3,490

30.93%

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

$24.9K CA$34.2K

$18.1K COP 65.3M

37.81%

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

$20.0K CA$27.4K

$26.3K COP 95.0M

-23.92%

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

$163 CA$224

$81.3 COP 293.5K

100.97%

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

$45.14 CA$61.8

$9.63 COP 34.8K

368.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.6 CA$87.1

$24.36 COP 88.0K

161.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.94 CA$57.5

$26.02 COP 93.9K

61.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 COP 68.3K

Cinema Ticket

$10.66 CA$14.60

$3.89 COP 14.0K

174.04%

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

$444 CA$609

$304 COP 1.1M

46.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,116 CA$5,639

$5,902 COP 21.3M

-30.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.8 CA$83.3

$58.7 COP 211.8K

3.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.10 CA$53.6

$32.48 COP 117.2K

20.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.8 CA$112

$102 COP 367.3K

-19.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.4 CA$107

$108 COP 390.4K

-27.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,313 CA$1,798

$474 COP 1.7M

176.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 CA$1,601

$371 COP 1.3M

215.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 CA$2,778

$848 COP 3.1M

139.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,823 CA$2,497

$716 COP 2.6M

154.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,275 CA$5,856

$2,871 COP 10.4M

48.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,225 CA$4,419

$1,375 COP 5.0M

134.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,096 CA$1,501

$542 COP 2.0M

102.30%

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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,313 in Armstrong and $474 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Armstrong pays 102% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $71 in Armstrong vs $33 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $375 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 140% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Armstrong pays 102% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,313 in Armstrong versus $474 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 55% 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 $304 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,014 in Medellin versus $2,433 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 140% less than in Armstrong. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.