Cost of Living Comparison Between Dawson City and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Dawson City and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,944 per month in Dawson City vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,456 per month in Dawson City vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,969 per month in Dawson City vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Dawson City costs about 92% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Dawson City sits 45% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.82 CA$35.87

$5.99 COP 21.4K

331.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$106 CA$147

$32.86 COP 117.2K

221.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 CA$15.22

$7.09 COP 25.3K

54.58%

Cappuccino

$4.12 CA$5.72

$1.71 COP 6,105

140.94%

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

$1.81 CA$2.51

$1.10 COP 3,918

64.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.40

$0.78 COP 2,776

121.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.49 CA$7.63

$1.68 COP 5,987

226.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 CA$8.26

$3.07 COP 10.9K

93.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.69 CA$3.73

$1.09 COP 3,899

146.79%

White Bread (500g)

$4.27 CA$5.93

$1.26 COP 4,500

238.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.55 CA$4.93

$1.38 COP 4,914

157.25%

Eggs

$5.19 CA$7.22

$2.19 COP 7,813

136.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.13 CA$15.47

$4.40 COP 15.7K

152.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.22 CA$21.14

$5.63 COP 20.1K

170.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.77 CA$20.53

$8.89 COP 31.7K

66.14%

Apples (1kg)

$4.19 CA$5.83

$2.34 COP 8,334

79.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.88

$1.06 COP 3,771

27.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 CA$6.00

$1.50 COP 5,365

188.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.21 CA$5.85

$1.38 COP 4,915

205.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.38 CA$3.31

$1.15 COP 4,104

106.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 CA$3.60

$1.16 COP 4,148

123.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 CA$3.62

$0.89 COP 3,176

193.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 CA$2.37

$0.84 COP 2,992

103.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.92 CA$19.34

$2.28 COP 8,131

510.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.67 CA$17.60

$10.64 COP 37.9K

19.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 CA$3.89

$1.20 COP 4,276

133.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 CA$4.22

$2.47 COP 8,809

22.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.39 CA$3.33

$0.86 COP 3,051

177.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.2 CA$86.4

$41.40 COP 147.6K

50.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 CA$4.29

$1.47 COP 5,255

110.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 CA$2.04

$1.96 COP 6,997

-25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.45 CA$35.36

$7.74 COP 27.6K

228.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 CA$1.62

$0.95 COP 3,403

23.16%

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

$25.1K CA$34.9K

$18.1K COP 64.6M

38.67%

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

$20.6K CA$28.7K

$26.5K COP 94.4M

-22.09%

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

$140 CA$194

$82.3 COP 293.2K

70.18%

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

$43.23 CA$60.1

$9.50 COP 33.9K

355.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.5 CA$86.9

$24.23 COP 86.4K

158.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.54 CA$59.1

$25.89 COP 92.3K

64.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

Cinema Ticket

$11.55 CA$16.05

$3.93 COP 14.0K

193.89%

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

$736 CA$1,023

$309 COP 1.1M

137.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K CA$16.2K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

95.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 CA$90.9

$58.7 COP 209.1K

11.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.29 CA$56.0

$32.35 COP 115.3K

24.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.1 CA$96.0

$103 COP 365.7K

-32.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$148

$108 COP 386.5K

-1.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,309 CA$1,818

$476 COP 1.7M

174.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$695 CA$966

$379 COP 1.4M

83.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,014 CA$2,798

$838 COP 3.0M

140.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,851 CA$2,571

$724 COP 2.6M

155.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,505 CA$6,259

$2,791 COP 9.9M

61.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,506 CA$4,871

$1,211 COP 4.3M

189.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,965 CA$4,120

$512 COP 1.8M

479.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

13.43

-51.90%

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

Last update for Dawson City: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,309 in Dawson City 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 479% higher in Dawson City, 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 $106 in Dawson City versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $414 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

Dawson City vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Dawson City is pricier by about 92%, 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 $2,916 per month in Dawson City 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.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Dawson City and $309 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 120% more in Dawson City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Dawson City at $1,944. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dawson City 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, Dawson City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.