Cost of Living Comparison Between Canberra and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Canberra and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,482 per month in Canberra vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,566 per month in Canberra vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,650 per month in Canberra vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Canberra costs about 145% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Canberra sits 85% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.05 A$22.37

$5.99 COP 21.4K

167.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.3 A$120

$32.86 COP 117.4K

162.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.86 A$13.74

$7.09 COP 25.3K

39.07%

Cappuccino

$3.36 A$4.68

$1.71 COP 6,115

96.49%

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

$2.58 A$3.59

$1.10 COP 3,924

134.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 A$3.24

$0.78 COP 2,781

197.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.45 A$8.99

$1.68 COP 5,997

283.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.50 A$10.46

$3.07 COP 11.0K

144.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 A$1.98

$1.09 COP 3,906

30.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 A$3.74

$1.26 COP 4,508

112.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 A$2.57

$1.38 COP 4,922

34.06%

Eggs

$4.10 A$5.72

$2.19 COP 7,827

87.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 A$13.96

$4.40 COP 15.7K

127.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.22 A$12.85

$5.63 COP 20.1K

63.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.94 A$20.82

$8.89 COP 31.8K

68.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 A$4.56

$2.34 COP 8,349

39.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.86 A$3.98

$1.06 COP 3,777

169.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.06 A$4.26

$1.50 COP 5,374

104.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 A$6.79

$1.38 COP 4,924

253.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.28 A$3.18

$1.15 COP 4,111

98.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 A$2.93

$1.16 COP 4,155

81.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 A$3.31

$0.89 COP 3,182

167.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 A$1.80

$0.84 COP 2,997

53.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$30.41 A$42.38

$2.28 COP 8,145

1233.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.80 A$20.63

$10.64 COP 38.0K

39.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.10 A$7.10

$1.20 COP 4,284

325.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.11 A$8.51

$2.47 COP 8,824

147.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.26 A$4.55

$0.86 COP 3,056

279.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 A$168

$41.40 COP 147.9K

190.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 A$5.69

$1.47 COP 5,264

177.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 A$2.39

$1.96 COP 7,009

-12.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.63 A$56.6

$7.74 COP 27.6K

424.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 A$1.60

$0.95 COP 3,409

21.05%

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

$28.7K A$40.0K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

58.32%

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

$22.6K A$31.5K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-14.53%

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

$222 A$310

$82.3 COP 293.7K

170.31%

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

$30.13 A$41.99

$9.50 COP 33.9K

217.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 A$72.7

$24.23 COP 86.5K

115.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.0 A$83.6

$25.89 COP 92.4K

131.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.75 A$28.92

$19.00 COP 67.9K

9.21%

Cinema Ticket

$13.59 A$18.93

$3.93 COP 14.0K

245.80%

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

$1,763 A$2,456

$309 COP 1.1M

469.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K A$18.7K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

124.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.6 A$98.3

$58.7 COP 209.5K

20.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.7 A$79.0

$32.35 COP 115.5K

75.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.8 A$139

$103 COP 366.4K

-2.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 A$161

$108 COP 387.2K

6.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,548 A$2,157

$476 COP 1.7M

225.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,141 A$1,589

$379 COP 1.4M

201.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,855 A$3,978

$838 COP 3.0M

240.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,754 A$2,444

$724 COP 2.6M

142.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,990 A$12.5K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

222.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,079 A$8,471

$1,211 COP 4.3M

401.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,626 A$6,446

$512 COP 1.8M

803.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.29

13.43

-53.16%

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

Last update for Canberra: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,548 in Canberra versus $476 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 804% higher in Canberra, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $86.0 in Canberra versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $188 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Canberra vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,482 in Canberra, $1,013 in Medellin – roughly 145% apart. Canberra costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,723 per month in Canberra and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,482 in Canberra and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 191% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Canberra at $2,482. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Canberra it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,013 in Medellin to $2,482 in Canberra. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Canberra makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.