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: $2,408 in Cambridge Bay versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,458 in Cambridge Bay versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,508 in Cambridge Bay versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Cambridge Bay is roughly 140% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.76 CA$33.35

$5.91 COP 18.9K

302.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.2 CA$98.5

$32.96 COP 105.2K

112.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 CA$15.57

$7.43 COP 23.7K

49.26%

Cappuccino

$3.76 CA$5.27

$1.65 COP 5,276

127.88%

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

$1.99 CA$2.79

$1.10 COP 3,514

80.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.39

$0.78 COP 2,491

117.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.44 CA$7.63

$1.72 COP 5,484

216.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.99 CA$8.41

$3.18 COP 10.1K

88.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 CA$2.95

$1.10 COP 3,521

90.91%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 CA$3.80

$1.26 COP 4,015

115.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.51 CA$4.92

$1.38 COP 4,407

154.35%

Eggs

$3.51 CA$4.93

$2.18 COP 6,950

61.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.35 CA$15.93

$4.49 COP 14.3K

152.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.82 CA$16.59

$5.79 COP 18.5K

104.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.89 CA$20.90

$8.97 COP 28.6K

66.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.96 CA$5.56

$2.32 COP 7,405

70.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 CA$1.99

$1.06 COP 3,397

33.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.76 CA$5.27

$1.52 COP 4,838

147.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.38

$1.36 COP 4,327

181.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 CA$3.46

$1.13 COP 3,599

117.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 CA$3.57

$1.17 COP 3,738

117.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 CA$3.54

$0.90 COP 2,876

180.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 CA$2.48

$0.90 COP 2,861

96.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.70 CA$19.23

$2.23 COP 7,128

514.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.42 CA$17.44

$12.12 COP 38.7K

2.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 CA$4.05

$1.19 COP 3,793

142.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 CA$4.29

$2.48 COP 7,920

23.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 CA$3.42

$0.85 COP 2,723

185.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.6 CA$86.5

$41.62 COP 132.8K

48.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 CA$4.48

$1.42 COP 4,518

124.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CA$2.03

$1.95 COP 6,223

-25.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.20 CA$36.78

$7.89 COP 25.2K

232.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.57

$0.99 COP 3,160

13.13%

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

$24.7K CA$34.6K

$17.6K COP 56.2M

40.15%

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

$20.2K CA$28.4K

$26.8K COP 85.5M

-24.55%

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

$141 CA$198

$83.0 COP 264.9K

69.85%

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

$43.14 CA$60.6

$9.70 COP 30.9K

344.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.2 CA$88.7

$23.52 COP 75.0K

168.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.42 CA$59.5

$25.26 COP 80.6K

67.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

Cinema Ticket

$11.26 CA$15.80

$3.95 COP 12.6K

185.06%

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

$738 CA$1,036

$316 COP 1.0M

133.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K CA$16.7K

$5,975 COP 19.1M

99.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 CA$74.8

$60.0 COP 191.4K

-11.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.86 CA$54.5

$31.82 COP 101.5K

22.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.3 CA$120

$102 COP 324.4K

-16.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$153

$107 COP 342.8K

1.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,288 CA$1,808

$475 COP 1.5M

171.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,174 CA$1,648

$374 COP 1.2M

213.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,995 CA$2,801

$849 COP 2.7M

135.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,785 CA$2,506

$719 COP 2.3M

148.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,699 CA$5,191

$3,265 COP 10.4M

13.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,096 CA$4,345

$1,441 COP 4.6M

114.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,288 in Cambridge Bay and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $70.0 in Cambridge Bay vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $366 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

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

Cambridge Bay and Medellin differ by about 140% in total monthly costs ($2,408 vs $1,003 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,613 in Cambridge Bay 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: $1,288 in Cambridge Bay versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,408 per month in Cambridge Bay versus $1,003 in Medellin – a 140% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 48% less than in Cambridge Bay. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $2,408 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 140% less than in Cambridge Bay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.