Cost of Living Comparison Between Courtenay and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Courtenay and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,149 per month in Courtenay vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,072 per month in Courtenay vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,995 per month in Courtenay vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Courtenay costs about 112% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Courtenay sits 60% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.65 CA$17.57

$5.99 COP 21.4K

111.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.0 CA$80.6

$32.86 COP 117.2K

76.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.52 CA$13.23

$7.09 COP 25.3K

34.27%

Cappuccino

$4.10 CA$5.70

$1.71 COP 6,105

139.77%

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

$2.07 CA$2.88

$1.10 COP 3,918

88.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 CA$1.80

$0.78 COP 2,776

65.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.94 CA$8.25

$1.68 COP 5,987

253.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.66 CA$12.03

$3.07 COP 10.9K

182.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 CA$2.91

$1.09 COP 3,899

92.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 CA$3.17

$1.26 COP 4,500

80.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 CA$3.15

$1.38 COP 4,914

63.77%

Eggs

$3.27 CA$4.54

$2.19 COP 7,813

49.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.19 CA$12.77

$4.40 COP 15.7K

108.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 CA$13.96

$5.63 COP 20.1K

78.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.08 CA$14.01

$8.89 COP 31.7K

13.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 CA$4.41

$2.34 COP 8,334

35.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 CA$1.91

$1.06 COP 3,771

29.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 CA$3.46

$1.50 COP 5,365

66.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.14 CA$4.37

$1.38 COP 4,915

127.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 CA$3.41

$1.15 COP 4,104

113.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 CA$2.96

$1.16 COP 4,148

83.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 CA$2.65

$0.89 COP 3,176

114.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 CA$1.68

$0.84 COP 2,992

44.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.79 CA$20.55

$2.28 COP 8,131

548.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.91 CA$15.16

$10.64 COP 37.9K

2.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.22 CA$4.48

$1.20 COP 4,276

168.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.14

$2.47 COP 8,809

-8.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 CA$2.03

$0.86 COP 3,051

69.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.85 CA$60.9

$41.40 COP 147.6K

5.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 CA$4.49

$1.47 COP 5,255

119.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 CA$1.94

$1.96 COP 6,997

-28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.10 CA$25.15

$7.74 COP 27.6K

133.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 CA$1.83

$0.95 COP 3,403

38.95%

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

$13.2K CA$18.4K

$18.1K COP 64.6M

-26.98%

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

$19.0K CA$26.3K

$26.5K COP 94.4M

-28.40%

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

$111 CA$154

$82.3 COP 293.2K

34.91%

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

$45.30 CA$62.9

$9.50 COP 33.9K

376.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.18 CA$62.8

$24.23 COP 86.4K

86.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.58 CA$60.6

$25.89 COP 92.3K

68.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.04 CA$57.0

$19.00 COP 67.7K

116.00%

Cinema Ticket

$11.26 CA$15.64

$3.93 COP 14.0K

186.51%

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

$930 CA$1,291

$309 COP 1.1M

200.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K CA$18.4K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

122.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.62 CA$67.6

$58.7 COP 209.1K

-17.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.65 CA$46.76

$32.35 COP 115.3K

4.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 CA$114

$103 COP 365.7K

-20.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.2 CA$87.9

$108 COP 386.5K

-41.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,354 CA$1,881

$476 COP 1.7M

184.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,166 CA$1,620

$379 COP 1.4M

207.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,187 CA$3,038

$838 COP 3.0M

160.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,665 CA$2,313

$724 COP 2.6M

130.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,507 CA$6,262

$2,791 COP 9.9M

61.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,096 CA$5,691

$1,211 COP 4.3M

238.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,325 CA$4,619

$512 COP 1.8M

549.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

13.43

-54.73%

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

Last update for Courtenay: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,354 in Courtenay 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 550% higher in Courtenay, 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 $58.0 in Courtenay versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 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

Courtenay vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Courtenay is pricier by about 112%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,224 per month in Courtenay 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.

Groceries cost about 59% more in Courtenay, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $58.0 in Courtenay and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Courtenay at $2,149. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Courtenay it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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