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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,462 per month in Canberra vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,582 per month in Canberra vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,703 per month in Canberra vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Canberra costs about 139% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Canberra sits 84% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.20 A$23.20

$6.16 COP 20.0K

162.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.7 A$126

$32.60 COP 106.0K

169.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.65 A$13.81

$7.34 COP 23.9K

31.47%

Cappuccino

$3.43 A$4.91

$1.72 COP 5,592

99.42%

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

$2.70 A$3.87

$1.05 COP 3,416

157.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 A$3.18

$0.77 COP 2,511

188.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.55 A$9.38

$1.69 COP 5,480

287.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.54 A$10.80

$3.17 COP 10.3K

137.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 A$1.96

$1.05 COP 3,418

30.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.61 A$3.73

$1.30 COP 4,230

100.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 A$2.57

$1.40 COP 4,538

27.86%

Eggs

$4.07 A$5.83

$2.16 COP 7,037

88.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.85 A$14.10

$4.39 COP 14.3K

124.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.27 A$13.27

$5.88 COP 19.1K

57.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.90 A$21.33

$8.64 COP 28.1K

72.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 A$4.85

$2.28 COP 7,415

48.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 A$4.21

$1.11 COP 3,599

164.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.06 A$4.38

$1.53 COP 4,976

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 A$6.98

$1.35 COP 4,405

261.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.29 A$3.29

$1.13 COP 3,669

102.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 A$3.01

$1.13 COP 3,687

86.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 A$3.41

$0.85 COP 2,749

180.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 A$1.90

$0.91 COP 2,971

46.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.33 A$44.86

$2.34 COP 7,619

1238.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.29 A$20.47

$12.37 COP 40.2K

15.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.17 A$7.39

$1.20 COP 3,904

330.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.87 A$8.40

$2.49 COP 8,094

135.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.28 A$4.70

$0.84 COP 2,724

290.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$124 A$178

$40.57 COP 131.9K

206.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.06 A$5.81

$1.42 COP 4,617

185.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 A$2.55

$1.92 COP 6,227

-7.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.31 A$59.1

$7.66 COP 24.9K

439.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.71

$0.99 COP 3,219

20.20%

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

$29.1K A$41.7K

$18.0K COP 58.6M

61.65%

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

$23.1K A$33.0K

$26.6K COP 86.6M

-13.41%

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

$222 A$318

$80.8 COP 262.7K

174.74%

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

$29.36 A$42.03

$9.95 COP 32.3K

195.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.8 A$74.1

$24.18 COP 78.6K

114.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 A$86.7

$25.08 COP 81.5K

141.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.87 A$29.89

$19.15 COP 62.3K

8.98%

Cinema Ticket

$13.43 A$19.23

$3.98 COP 13.0K

237.44%

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

$1,750 A$2,506

$305 COP 992.2K

473.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.1K A$18.8K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

116.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.9 A$103

$58.1 COP 189.0K

23.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.1 A$80.3

$32.20 COP 104.7K

74.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.5 A$140

$101 COP 327.5K

-3.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 A$161

$108 COP 350.3K

4.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,549 A$2,218

$477 COP 1.5M

225.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,135 A$1,626

$376 COP 1.2M

201.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,815 A$4,030

$845 COP 2.7M

233.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,758 A$2,517

$730 COP 2.4M

140.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.9K A$15.6K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

239.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,234 A$10.4K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

427.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,280 A$6,127

$617 COP 2.0M

593.83%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,549 in Canberra versus $477 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 594% 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 $88.0 in Canberra versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $358 vs $193 – 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: $2,462 in Canberra, $1,031 in Medellin – roughly 139% apart. Canberra costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,693 per month in Canberra and $1,546 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 $2,462 in Canberra and $1,031 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 207% 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 $1,031, than in Canberra at $2,462. 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 $1,031 in Medellin to $2,462 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.