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: $2,323 in Armstrong versus $1,641 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,381 in Armstrong versus $2,447 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,438 in Armstrong versus $3,253 in Medellin.

Living in Armstrong is roughly 42% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Armstrong 68% above, Medellin 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.70 CA$30.09

$8.04 COP 24.8K

169.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.3 CA$106

$48.29 COP 148.6K

57.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$15.18

$9.42 COP 29.0K

16.14%

Cappuccino

$3.75 CA$5.21

$2.94 COP 9,040

27.55%

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

$2.58 CA$3.58

$1.86 COP 5,735

38.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.46

$1.46 COP 4,479

21.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.27 CA$8.69

$3.21 COP 9,882

95.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.66 CA$9.24

$5.71 COP 17.6K

16.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 CA$3.25

$1.44 COP 4,428

62.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.41 CA$3.34

$2.40 COP 7,389

0.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 CA$4.59

$1.70 COP 5,228

94.71%

Eggs

$3.73 CA$5.17

$2.89 COP 8,896

29.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.09 CA$14.00

$10.06 COP 30.9K

0.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 CA$14.46

$9.97 COP 30.7K

4.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.50 CA$24.28

$14.20 COP 43.7K

23.24%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 CA$5.54

$3.98 COP 12.3K

0.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 CA$1.94

$1.58 COP 4,878

-11.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.35 CA$6.04

$2.15 COP 6,624

102.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.58

$2.30 COP 7,078

75.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 CA$3.76

$2.00 COP 6,169

35.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 CA$3.31

$1.51 COP 4,646

58.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 CA$3.58

$1.20 COP 3,701

115.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 CA$1.98

$1.28 COP 3,946

11.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.37 CA$18.55

$3.84 COP 11.8K

248.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.16 CA$18.25

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-6.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.36 CA$4.66

$1.71 COP 5,256

96.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 CA$5.35

$2.74 COP 8,440

40.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.39 CA$3.32

$1.25 COP 3,834

91.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.7 CA$88.3

$77.9 COP 239.7K

-18.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 CA$3.07

$1.31 COP 4,016

68.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 CA$2.43

$2.17 COP 6,680

-19.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.87 CA$17.86

$8.29 COP 25.5K

55.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 CA$1.79

$1.36 COP 4,172

-5.15%

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

$25.5K CA$35.4K

$27.5K COP 84.5M

-7.06%

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

$19.5K CA$27.0K

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-46.76%

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

$138 CA$191

$169 COP 519.2K

-18.17%

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

$28.30 CA$39.25

$13.57 COP 41.8K

108.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.7 CA$77.2

$28.32 COP 87.2K

96.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.84 CA$58.0

$45.71 COP 140.7K

-8.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.87 CA$26.17

$17.22 COP 53.0K

9.58%

Cinema Ticket

$10.62 CA$14.73

$6.65 COP 20.5K

59.70%

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

$144 CA$200

$803 COP 2.5M

-82.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,935 CA$5,458

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-57.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.0 CA$81.8

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-32.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.45 CA$54.7

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-33.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.5 CA$112

$139 COP 427.5K

-42.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.7 CA$108

$102 COP 314.0K

-23.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,306 CA$1,811

$1,071 COP 3.3M

21.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 CA$1,621

$653 COP 2.0M

79.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,991 CA$2,762

$1,925 COP 5.9M

3.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,738 CA$2,410

$1,048 COP 3.2M

65.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,327 CA$6,000

$4,123 COP 12.7M

4.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,629 CA$5,033

$1,697 COP 5.2M

113.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.58

10.94

-58.14%

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

Last update for Armstrong: September 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,306 in Armstrong and $1,071 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $76.0 in Armstrong vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $368 vs $300 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, Sport & Entertainment. The 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,485 in Armstrong and $2,462 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: $1,306 in Armstrong versus $1,071 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 22% less than in Armstrong. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $144 in Armstrong versus $803 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,641 in Medellin versus $2,323 in Armstrong, a $2,500 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 42% less than in Armstrong. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.