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: $2,335 in Cambridge Bay versus $1,641 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,396 in Cambridge Bay versus $2,447 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,456 in Cambridge Bay versus $3,253 in Medellin.

Living in Cambridge Bay is roughly 42% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cambridge Bay 69% above, Medellin 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.64 CA$31.40

$8.04 COP 24.8K

181.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.0 CA$94.4

$48.29 COP 148.7K

40.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 CA$15.12

$9.42 COP 29.0K

15.71%

Cappuccino

$3.61 CA$5.01

$2.94 COP 9,045

22.79%

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

$2.02 CA$2.80

$1.86 COP 5,738

8.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.25

$1.46 COP 4,481

11.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.48 CA$7.60

$3.21 COP 9,887

70.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.61 CA$7.78

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-1.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 CA$2.85

$1.44 COP 4,431

43.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 CA$3.49

$2.40 COP 7,393

5.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.27 CA$4.53

$1.70 COP 5,230

92.35%

Eggs

$3.57 CA$4.95

$2.89 COP 8,901

23.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.27 CA$14.24

$10.06 COP 31.0K

2.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.87 CA$16.46

$9.97 COP 30.7K

19.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.60 CA$20.25

$14.20 COP 43.7K

2.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.81 CA$5.28

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-4.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 CA$1.89

$1.58 COP 4,880

-13.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.23

$2.15 COP 6,627

75.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.88 CA$5.39

$2.30 COP 7,082

68.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.64

$2.00 COP 6,172

31.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 CA$3.03

$1.51 COP 4,648

44.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 CA$3.42

$1.20 COP 3,703

105.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 CA$2.30

$1.28 COP 3,948

29.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.63 CA$20.29

$3.84 COP 11.8K

280.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.49 CA$17.32

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-10.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 CA$3.82

$1.71 COP 5,259

61.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 CA$4.44

$2.74 COP 8,444

16.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.39 CA$3.32

$1.25 COP 3,836

91.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.1 CA$88.8

$77.9 COP 239.9K

-17.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 CA$4.09

$1.31 COP 4,018

125.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.08

$2.17 COP 6,684

-30.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.10 CA$33.43

$8.29 COP 25.5K

190.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.57

$1.36 COP 4,174

-16.91%

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

$28.9K CA$40.1K

$27.5K COP 84.6M

5.15%

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

$19.5K CA$27.0K

$36.5K COP 112.5M

-46.73%

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

$139 CA$192

$169 COP 519.5K

-17.74%

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

$39.86 CA$55.3

$13.57 COP 41.8K

193.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.8 CA$77.4

$28.32 COP 87.2K

97.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.43 CA$57.5

$45.71 COP 140.8K

-9.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.74 CA$25.99

$17.22 COP 53.0K

8.83%

Cinema Ticket

$11.59 CA$16.08

$6.65 COP 20.5K

74.29%

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

$775 CA$1,074

$803 COP 2.5M

-3.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K CA$18.4K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

44.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 CA$74.8

$87.4 COP 269.0K

-38.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.08 CA$54.2

$59.4 COP 182.8K

-34.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 CA$122

$139 COP 427.7K

-36.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 CA$142

$102 COP 314.2K

0.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 CA$1,764

$1,071 COP 3.3M

18.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,145 CA$1,588

$653 COP 2.0M

75.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 CA$2,751

$1,925 COP 5.9M

3.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 CA$2,444

$1,048 COP 3.2M

68.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,315 CA$5,984

$4,123 COP 12.7M

4.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,690 CA$5,117

$1,697 COP 5.2M

117.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

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 Cambridge Bay: September 5, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,272 in Cambridge Bay and $1,071 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $68.0 in Cambridge Bay vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $356 vs $300 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 42% in total monthly costs ($2,335 vs $1,641 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,503 in Cambridge Bay and $2,462 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: $1,272 in Cambridge Bay versus $1,071 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,335 per month in Cambridge Bay versus $1,641 in Medellin – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 22% less than in Cambridge Bay. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,641 in Medellin versus $2,335 in Cambridge Bay, a $2,500 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 42% less than in Cambridge Bay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.