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

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,642 in Calgary versus $1,596 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,850 in Calgary versus $2,178 in Medellin.

Living in Calgary is roughly 140% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.20 CA$24.93

$6.14 COP 22.1K

196.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$95.9

$33.05 COP 119.0K

111.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.01 CA$15.09

$7.32 COP 26.4K

50.41%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.11

$1.66 COP 5,973

124.70%

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

$1.98 CA$2.71

$1.10 COP 3,978

80.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.26

$0.78 COP 2,816

111.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.27 CA$7.22

$1.71 COP 6,174

208.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.65 CA$9.11

$3.17 COP 11.4K

109.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 CA$2.94

$1.11 COP 4,003

93.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 CA$3.67

$1.31 COP 4,709

104.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.66

$1.38 COP 4,969

146.38%

Eggs

$3.28 CA$4.49

$2.22 COP 7,992

47.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.65 CA$20.07

$4.34 COP 15.6K

237.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.61 CA$17.28

$5.80 COP 20.9K

117.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.13 CA$22.10

$8.98 COP 32.3K

79.62%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 CA$6.11

$2.26 COP 8,146

97.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.84

$1.11 COP 4,014

20.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.11

$1.46 COP 5,273

155.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 CA$5.88

$1.37 COP 4,918

213.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 CA$3.65

$1.11 COP 4,000

140.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 CA$3.57

$1.16 COP 4,190

125.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 CA$3.76

$0.89 COP 3,204

207.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 CA$2.60

$0.87 COP 3,117

118.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 CA$20.52

$2.35 COP 8,476

537.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 CA$19.59

$10.86 COP 39.1K

31.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 CA$3.97

$1.20 COP 4,321

141.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 CA$5.44

$2.48 COP 8,927

60.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.68 CA$3.67

$0.79 COP 2,836

239.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.9 CA$120

$40.77 COP 146.8K

115.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 CA$4.88

$1.42 COP 5,125

151.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.84

$1.91 COP 6,885

-29.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.30 CA$40.15

$7.65 COP 27.6K

283.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.55

$0.97 COP 3,482

16.49%

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

$25.1K CA$34.4K

$18.1K COP 65.2M

38.81%

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

$22.2K CA$30.4K

$26.3K COP 94.8M

-15.55%

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

$218 CA$299

$81.3 COP 292.9K

168.10%

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

$41.44 CA$56.8

$9.63 COP 34.7K

330.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.2 CA$79.7

$24.36 COP 87.8K

138.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 CA$73.6

$26.02 COP 93.7K

106.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.4 CA$71.8

$18.92 COP 68.1K

176.85%

Cinema Ticket

$12.66 CA$17.34

$3.89 COP 14.0K

225.45%

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

$885 CA$1,212

$304 COP 1.1M

190.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K CA$22.0K

$5,902 COP 21.3M

172.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 CA$79.6

$58.7 COP 211.4K

-0.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.22 CA$66.1

$32.48 COP 117.0K

48.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 CA$121

$102 COP 366.5K

-13.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$146

$108 COP 389.6K

-1.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,396 CA$1,913

$474 COP 1.7M

194.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,186 CA$1,625

$371 COP 1.3M

219.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,293 CA$3,142

$848 COP 3.1M

170.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,859 CA$2,547

$716 COP 2.6M

159.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 CA$5,178

$2,871 COP 10.3M

31.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,509 CA$4,808

$1,375 COP 5.0M

155.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,117 CA$4,271

$542 COP 2.0M

475.64%

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: April 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,396 in Calgary and $474 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 476% 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: $70 in Calgary vs $33 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 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

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 140% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Calgary pays 476% 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: $1,396 in Calgary versus $474 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 $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,433 per month in Calgary versus $1,014 in Medellin – a 140% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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