Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,432 in Calgary versus $1,018 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,624 in Calgary versus $1,609 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,816 in Calgary versus $2,200 in Medellin.

Living in Calgary is roughly 139% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Calgary is 82% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.52 CA$26.12

$5.93 COP 19.1K

212.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.6 CA$99.6

$33.12 COP 106.4K

113.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.03 CA$15.55

$7.12 COP 22.9K

54.92%

Cappuccino

$3.88 CA$5.48

$1.71 COP 5,480

126.90%

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

$1.97 CA$2.79

$1.05 COP 3,370

87.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 CA$2.34

$0.72 COP 2,321

130.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.19 CA$7.32

$1.72 COP 5,524

201.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.28

$3.17 COP 10.2K

107.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 CA$3.11

$1.06 COP 3,422

108.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CA$3.77

$1.31 COP 4,209

103.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.35 CA$4.72

$1.33 COP 4,273

151.88%

Eggs

$3.39 CA$4.78

$2.28 COP 7,328

48.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.59 CA$20.58

$4.42 COP 14.2K

230.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.95 CA$18.27

$5.92 COP 19.0K

118.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.84 CA$22.34

$8.64 COP 27.8K

83.33%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 CA$6.07

$2.34 COP 7,535

83.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 CA$1.84

$1.10 COP 3,541

18.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 CA$5.47

$1.47 COP 4,718

163.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.22 CA$5.96

$1.38 COP 4,433

205.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 CA$3.60

$1.17 COP 3,769

117.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.72 CA$3.84

$1.17 COP 3,760

132.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 CA$3.87

$0.90 COP 2,902

204.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 CA$2.73

$0.84 COP 2,704

129.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.00 CA$21.15

$2.33 COP 7,480

543.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 CA$20.69

$11.92 COP 38.3K

23.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 CA$4.07

$1.15 COP 3,688

151.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 CA$5.68

$2.42 COP 7,780

66.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.79 CA$3.94

$0.84 COP 2,698

232.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.7 CA$121

$40.83 COP 131.2K

109.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 CA$5.06

$1.41 COP 4,535

154.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 CA$1.91

$1.91 COP 6,152

-29.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.84 CA$40.68

$7.83 COP 25.1K

268.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 CA$1.53

$0.94 COP 3,033

14.89%

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

$25.4K CA$35.8K

$17.8K COP 57.3M

42.53%

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

$21.7K CA$30.6K

$27.1K COP 87.0M

-19.95%

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

$216 CA$304

$83.3 COP 267.5K

158.89%

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

$41.66 CA$58.8

$9.66 COP 31.0K

331.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.7 CA$82.8

$24.22 COP 77.8K

142.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.6 CA$75.6

$25.22 COP 81.1K

112.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.1 CA$73.5

$19.33 COP 62.1K

169.53%

Cinema Ticket

$12.72 CA$17.95

$4.07 COP 13.1K

212.53%

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

$885 CA$1,248

$307 COP 985.2K

188.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K CA$22.3K

$5,981 COP 19.2M

164.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 CA$81.7

$60.0 COP 192.6K

-3.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.31 CA$66.7

$32.65 COP 104.9K

44.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.3 CA$124

$101 COP 324.8K

-12.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 CA$151

$108 COP 347.2K

-0.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,368 CA$1,929

$476 COP 1.5M

187.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,181 CA$1,666

$379 COP 1.2M

211.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,364 CA$3,335

$816 COP 2.6M

189.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,872 CA$2,641

$707 COP 2.3M

164.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,737 CA$5,270

$3,190 COP 10.2M

17.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,424 CA$4,829

$1,446 COP 4.6M

136.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,999 CA$4,229

$622 COP 2.0M

382.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

13.43

-57.48%

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

Last update for Calgary: July 21, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,368 in Calgary and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 382% 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: $71.0 in Calgary vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $397 vs $192 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

Calgary vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 139% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 382% higher in Calgary, 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: $1,368 in Calgary versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,432 per month in Calgary versus $1,018 in Medellin – a 139% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,018 in Medellin versus $2,432 in Calgary, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Calgary. 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 Calgary, 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 139% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.