Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge Bay and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge Bay and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,388 in Cambridge Bay versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,422 in Cambridge Bay versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Cambridge Bay versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Cambridge Bay is roughly 135% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cambridge Bay is 78% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.67 CA$33.06

$5.95 COP 20.8K

297.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.9 CA$98.9

$33.33 COP 116.3K

112.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 CA$15.13

$7.23 COP 25.2K

49.79%

Cappuccino

$3.82 CA$5.33

$1.63 COP 5,687

134.36%

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

$2.03 CA$2.83

$1.09 COP 3,821

86.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.37

$0.73 COP 2,548

132.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.54 CA$7.74

$1.74 COP 6,065

218.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 CA$8.25

$3.23 COP 11.3K

82.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 CA$3.07

$1.05 COP 3,662

109.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.80

$1.29 COP 4,515

110.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.58 CA$5.00

$1.32 COP 4,617

171.21%

Eggs

$3.56 CA$4.97

$2.27 COP 7,927

56.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.07 CA$15.46

$4.35 COP 15.2K

154.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.60 CA$16.20

$5.88 COP 20.5K

97.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.95 CA$20.88

$8.61 COP 30.0K

73.64%

Apples (1kg)

$4.04 CA$5.64

$2.25 COP 7,844

79.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.99

$1.07 COP 3,733

32.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.62 CA$5.06

$1.52 COP 5,322

138.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.78 CA$5.27

$1.42 COP 4,964

166.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.39 CA$3.34

$1.17 COP 4,084

104.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 CA$3.55

$1.17 COP 4,077

117.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 CA$3.65

$0.89 COP 3,096

193.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.46

$0.90 COP 3,146

95.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.01 CA$19.57

$2.25 COP 7,837

522.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.51 CA$17.47

$11.04 COP 38.5K

13.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.83 CA$3.95

$1.14 COP 3,977

148.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 CA$4.25

$2.38 COP 8,301

28.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.31 CA$3.23

$0.84 COP 2,916

175.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.9 CA$87.9

$41.95 COP 146.4K

50.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 CA$4.33

$1.41 COP 4,912

119.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.07

$1.90 COP 6,634

-22.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.39 CA$35.46

$7.75 COP 27.0K

227.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.55

$1.01 COP 3,509

9.90%

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

$24.8K CA$34.7K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

41.26%

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

$20.7K CA$28.9K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-21.98%

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

$145 CA$202

$83.7 COP 292.1K

73.00%

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

$44.16 CA$61.7

$9.45 COP 33.0K

367.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.4 CA$85.7

$24.11 COP 84.1K

154.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.79 CA$58.4

$25.31 COP 88.3K

65.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$11.21 CA$15.66

$4.10 COP 14.3K

173.41%

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

$728 CA$1,017

$312 COP 1.1M

133.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K CA$16.1K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

92.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.9 CA$76.7

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-5.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.02 CA$54.5

$32.56 COP 113.6K

19.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 CA$118

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-14.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 CA$150

$109 COP 378.8K

-1.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,302 CA$1,818

$482 COP 1.7M

169.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,168 CA$1,631

$379 COP 1.3M

207.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,030 CA$2,835

$837 COP 2.9M

142.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,842 CA$2,573

$723 COP 2.5M

154.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,048 CA$5,653

$2,840 COP 9.9M

42.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,771 CA$5,266

$1,223 COP 4.3M

208.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

13.43

-51.90%

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

Last update for Cambridge Bay: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,302 in Cambridge Bay and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $71.0 in Cambridge Bay vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $365 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

Cambridge Bay vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cambridge Bay and Medellin differ by about 135% in total monthly costs ($2,388 vs $1,017 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,582 in Cambridge Bay and $1,525 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: $1,302 in Cambridge Bay versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,388 per month in Cambridge Bay versus $1,017 in Medellin – a 135% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 50% less than in Cambridge Bay. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $2,388 in Cambridge Bay, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Cambridge Bay. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 135% less than in Cambridge Bay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.