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: $2,429 in Armstrong versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,456 in Armstrong versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,483 in Armstrong versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Armstrong is roughly 142% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Armstrong is 83% above, Medellin is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.65 CA$30.39

$5.91 COP 18.9K

266.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.4 CA$98.8

$32.96 COP 105.2K

113.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.20 CA$15.72

$7.43 COP 23.7K

50.74%

Cappuccino

$3.76 CA$5.28

$1.65 COP 5,276

127.88%

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

$2.60 CA$3.64

$1.10 COP 3,514

136.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 CA$2.82

$0.78 COP 2,491

157.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.96 CA$8.37

$1.72 COP 5,484

246.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 CA$9.52

$3.18 COP 10.1K

113.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.78 CA$3.90

$1.10 COP 3,521

152.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 CA$3.49

$1.26 COP 4,015

97.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.77

$1.38 COP 4,407

146.38%

Eggs

$3.85 CA$5.40

$2.18 COP 6,950

76.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.74 CA$13.67

$4.49 COP 14.3K

116.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.47 CA$14.69

$5.79 COP 18.5K

80.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.22 CA$21.37

$8.97 COP 28.6K

69.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.88 CA$5.45

$2.32 COP 7,405

67.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 CA$2.47

$1.06 COP 3,397

66.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 CA$5.70

$1.52 COP 4,838

167.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.99 CA$5.60

$1.36 COP 4,327

193.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.73 CA$3.83

$1.13 COP 3,599

141.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 CA$3.14

$1.17 COP 3,738

90.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 CA$4.00

$0.90 COP 2,876

216.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 CA$2.54

$0.90 COP 2,861

101.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.60 CA$19.10

$2.23 COP 7,128

509.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.52 CA$17.57

$12.12 COP 38.7K

3.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.51 CA$4.93

$1.19 COP 3,793

194.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 CA$5.30

$2.48 COP 7,920

52.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.32 CA$3.25

$0.85 COP 2,723

172.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.5 CA$87.7

$41.62 COP 132.8K

50.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 CA$3.47

$1.42 COP 4,518

73.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 CA$2.29

$1.95 COP 6,223

-16.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.77 CA$17.92

$7.89 COP 25.2K

61.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.71

$0.99 COP 3,160

23.23%

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

$25.4K CA$35.7K

$17.6K COP 56.2M

44.32%

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

$19.8K CA$27.8K

$26.8K COP 85.5M

-25.99%

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

$158 CA$222

$83.0 COP 264.9K

90.87%

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

$45.16 CA$63.4

$9.70 COP 30.9K

365.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.4 CA$89.0

$23.52 COP 75.0K

169.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.00 CA$59.0

$25.26 COP 80.6K

66.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

Cinema Ticket

$10.72 CA$15.05

$3.95 COP 12.6K

171.39%

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

$440 CA$618

$316 COP 1.0M

39.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,978 CA$5,583

$5,975 COP 19.1M

-33.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.8 CA$86.8

$60.0 COP 191.4K

3.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.16 CA$55.0

$31.82 COP 101.5K

23.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 CA$113

$102 COP 324.4K

-20.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.4 CA$110

$107 COP 342.8K

-27.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,297 CA$1,821

$475 COP 1.5M

173.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 CA$1,641

$374 COP 1.2M

212.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 CA$2,877

$849 COP 2.7M

141.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,781 CA$2,500

$719 COP 2.3M

147.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,359 CA$6,118

$3,265 COP 10.4M

33.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,478 CA$4,881

$1,441 COP 4.6M

141.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,297 in Armstrong and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $70.0 in Armstrong vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $371 vs $193 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 142% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,644 in Armstrong and $1,504 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: $1,297 in Armstrong versus $475 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 50% less than in Armstrong. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $440 in Armstrong versus $316 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $2,429 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 142% less than in Armstrong. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.