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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,178 per month in Courtenay vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,016 per month in Courtenay vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,853 per month in Courtenay vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Courtenay costs about 111% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Courtenay sits 63% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.99 CA$18.28

$6.16 COP 20.1K

110.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.8 CA$82.8

$32.60 COP 106.1K

80.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 CA$13.65

$7.34 COP 23.9K

32.15%

Cappuccino

$4.12 CA$5.80

$1.72 COP 5,599

139.53%

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

$1.98 CA$2.79

$1.05 COP 3,420

88.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 CA$1.90

$0.77 COP 2,515

75.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.98 CA$8.42

$1.69 COP 5,487

253.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.65 CA$12.17

$3.17 COP 10.3K

172.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 CA$2.97

$1.05 COP 3,423

100.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.29 CA$3.23

$1.30 COP 4,236

76.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 CA$3.14

$1.40 COP 4,544

59.29%

Eggs

$3.21 CA$4.52

$2.16 COP 7,046

48.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.57 CA$13.47

$4.39 COP 14.3K

118.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.63 CA$13.56

$5.88 COP 19.1K

63.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.95 CA$14.00

$8.64 COP 28.1K

15.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.06 CA$4.31

$2.28 COP 7,425

34.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 CA$1.94

$1.11 COP 3,603

24.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 CA$3.35

$1.53 COP 4,982

55.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.31 CA$4.65

$1.35 COP 4,410

145.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 CA$3.56

$1.13 COP 3,674

123.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 CA$3.15

$1.13 COP 3,692

98.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 CA$2.65

$0.85 COP 2,753

121.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 CA$1.65

$0.91 COP 2,975

29.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.82 CA$20.85

$2.34 COP 7,629

533.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.74 CA$15.11

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-13.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.20 CA$4.51

$1.20 COP 3,909

166.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.18

$2.49 COP 8,104

-9.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 CA$2.02

$0.84 COP 2,727

70.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.93 CA$63.2

$40.57 COP 132.1K

10.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 CA$4.60

$1.42 COP 4,623

130.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 CA$1.94

$1.92 COP 6,235

-28.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.77 CA$26.41

$7.66 COP 24.9K

145.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 CA$1.79

$0.99 COP 3,223

28.28%

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

$13.4K CA$18.9K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

-25.63%

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

$18.9K CA$26.6K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-28.89%

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

$110 CA$155

$80.8 COP 263.1K

36.21%

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

$44.06 CA$62.0

$9.95 COP 32.4K

342.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.35 CA$65.2

$24.18 COP 78.7K

91.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.37 CA$62.4

$25.08 COP 81.6K

76.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.21 CA$58.0

$19.15 COP 62.3K

115.20%

Cinema Ticket

$11.13 CA$15.66

$3.98 COP 13.0K

179.65%

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

$956 CA$1,345

$305 COP 993.4K

213.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K CA$18.9K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

121.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.84 CA$68.7

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-15.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.35 CA$46.92

$32.20 COP 104.8K

3.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 CA$113

$101 COP 327.9K

-20.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.8 CA$88.4

$108 COP 350.8K

-41.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,378 CA$1,939

$477 COP 1.6M

189.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,151 CA$1,619

$376 COP 1.2M

205.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,231 CA$3,139

$845 COP 2.7M

164.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,720 CA$2,420

$730 COP 2.4M

135.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,300 CA$7,457

$3,215 COP 10.5M

64.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,248 CA$4,570

$617 COP 2.0M

426.56%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,378 in Courtenay 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 427% 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 $59.0 in Courtenay versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 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

Courtenay vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Courtenay is pricier by about 111%, 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 $3,267 per month in Courtenay 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.

Groceries cost about 54% 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 $59.0 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 $1,031, than in Courtenay at $2,178. 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.