Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Barrie and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,639 a month against $2,524 in Barrie, rent and utilities included – about $10,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Barrie, Canada
Medellin, Colombia
Barrie
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,524
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Barrie and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Barrie and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,524 in Barrie versus $1,639 in Medellin.

  • Barrie $2,524
  • Medellin $1,639

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,461 in Barrie versus $2,413 in Medellin.

  • Barrie $3,461
  • Medellin $2,413

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,399 in Barrie versus $3,186 in Medellin.

  • Barrie $4,399
  • Medellin $3,186

Living in Barrie is roughly 54% more expensive than in Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barrie 85% above, Medellin 20% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Barrie
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.47 CA$20.22
$8.09 COP 26.1K
78.86%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$56.1 CA$78.4
$47.05 COP 151.7K
19.23%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.27 CA$15.75
$9.50 COP 30.6K
18.63%
Cappuccino
$3.75 CA$5.24
$3.01 COP 9,722
24.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.91 CA$2.67
$1.80 COP 5,801
6.11%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.44 CA$2.01
$1.41 COP 4,554
2.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.92 CA$6.87
$3.18 COP 10.2K
54.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.62 CA$7.85
$5.75 COP 18.5K
-2.26%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barrie
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.08 CA$2.90
$1.51 COP 4,869
37.75%
White Bread (500g)
$2.45 CA$3.43
$2.38 COP 7,667
2.94%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.69 CA$3.76
$1.77 COP 5,712
51.98%
Eggs
$3.12 CA$4.36
$2.89 COP 9,320
7.96%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.00 CA$13.97
$10.19 COP 32.9K
-1.86%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.19 CA$19.83
$9.87 COP 31.8K
43.77%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.64 CA$31.64
$13.99 COP 45.1K
61.83%
Apples (1kg)
$3.98 CA$5.56
$3.97 COP 12.8K
0.25%
Banana (1kg)
$1.19 CA$1.66
$1.55 COP 5,005
-23.23%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.18 CA$4.44
$2.18 COP 7,039
45.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.86 CA$5.39
$2.18 COP 7,041
77.06%
Potato (1kg)
$1.11 CA$1.56
$1.96 COP 6,328
-43.37%
Onion (1kg)
$1.37 CA$1.91
$1.59 COP 5,125
-13.84%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.09 CA$2.92
$1.15 COP 3,694
81.74%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.63 CA$2.27
$1.24 COP 4,009
31.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.46 CA$16.02
$3.96 COP 12.8K
189.39%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.20 CA$14.26
$13.68 COP 44.1K
-25.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.53 CA$3.53
$1.66 COP 5,352
52.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.16 CA$3.02
$2.26 COP 7,281
-4.42%
🚌 Getting Around
Barrie
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.45 CA$3.42
$1.17 COP 3,766
109.40%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$63.6 CA$88.9
$77.4 COP 249.5K
-17.75%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.64 CA$5.09
$1.27 COP 4,089
186.61%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.05 CA$1.46
$2.05 COP 6,603
-48.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$8.55 COP 27.6K
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.14 CA$1.59
$1.35 COP 4,343
-15.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.0K CA$36.3K
$34.1K COP 109.8M
-23.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.0K CA$32.1K
$34.7K COP 111.8M
-33.68%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barrie
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$234 CA$327
$170 COP 547.0K
37.89%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.10 CA$49.04
$13.55 COP 43.7K
159.04%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$77.8 CA$109
$28.07 COP 90.5K
177.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barrie
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$30.88 CA$43.16
$43.70 COP 140.9K
-29.34%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.49 CA$49.59
$17.19 COP 55.4K
106.46%
Cinema Ticket
$12.70 CA$17.74
$6.91 COP 22.3K
83.79%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barrie
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,434 CA$2,004
$797 COP 2.6M
80.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$9,112 COP 29.4M
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barrie
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.0 CA$88.0
$84.7 COP 273.2K
-25.64%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.09 CA$63.0
$58.0 COP 186.9K
-22.20%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$150 CA$210
$135 COP 435.2K
11.46%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 CA$120
$97.9 COP 315.6K
-12.36%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barrie
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,459 CA$2,039
$1,208 COP 3.9M
20.81%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,272 CA$1,777
$642 COP 2.1M
98.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,034 CA$2,842
$2,028 COP 6.5M
0.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,731 CA$2,419
$1,012 COP 3.3M
71.11%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,201 CA$7,268
$4,170 COP 13.4M
24.73%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,101 CA$5,731
$1,910 COP 6.2M
114.69%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barrie
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,071 CA$4,291
$657 COP 2.1M
367.28%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.68
10.94
-57.22%

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

Last update for Barrie: October 24, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Barrie
$1.3K
Medellin
$642 49.6% $630
Groceries & Markets
Barrie
$368
Medellin
$297 19.3% $71
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barrie
$347
Medellin
$211 39.1% $136
Eating Out
Barrie
$244
Medellin
$170 30.4% $74
Clothing & Footwear
Barrie
$155
Medellin
$169 9.1% $14
Getting Around
Barrie
$82
Medellin
$94 13.7% $11
Sport & Entertainment
Barrie
$56
Medellin
$58 2.2% $1.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,459 in Barrie and $1,208 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barrie pays about 4.7 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $56 in Barrie vs $47 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $368 vs $297 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Barrie
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
23:49 11:49 PM
23:49 11:49 PM
Same time as Barrie
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
141,434
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.716 USD). 1 EUR = 1.56 CAD (1 CAD = 0.641 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3,224 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,600 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Barrie Medellin 4,260 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Barrie
  • Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Barrie vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Barrie and in Medellin?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,524 in Barrie and $1,639 in Medellin, so Medellin is about 35% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Barrie or Medellin?
Average pay in Barrie is about 4.7 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Barrie and in Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,459 in Barrie versus $1,208 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Barrie and in Medellin?
A monthly transit pass in Barrie runs roughly 18% less than in Medellin. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Barrie and Medellin?
Childcare runs $1,434 in Barrie versus $797 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $2,500 per month?
At $1,639 in Medellin versus $2,524 in Barrie, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Barrie. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Barrie and Medellin?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
How do I decide between Barrie and Medellin?
It comes down to priorities – Medellin wins on affordability, Barrie on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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