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 $1,989 per month in Dawson City vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,409 per month in Dawson City vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,829 per month in Dawson City vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Dawson City costs about 93% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Dawson City sits 49% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.15 CA$36.79

$6.16 COP 20.1K

324.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$107 CA$150

$32.60 COP 106.1K

226.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.99 CA$15.46

$7.34 COP 23.9K

49.73%

Cappuccino

$4.11 CA$5.79

$1.72 COP 5,599

138.95%

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

$1.81 CA$2.54

$1.05 COP 3,420

72.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.42

$0.77 COP 2,515

123.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.60 CA$7.88

$1.69 COP 5,487

231.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 CA$8.41

$3.17 COP 10.3K

88.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.83 CA$3.98

$1.05 COP 3,423

169.52%

White Bread (500g)

$4.32 CA$6.08

$1.30 COP 4,236

232.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.50 CA$4.92

$1.40 COP 4,544

150.00%

Eggs

$5.23 CA$7.36

$2.16 COP 7,046

142.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.33 CA$15.94

$4.39 COP 14.3K

158.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.37 CA$21.63

$5.88 COP 19.1K

161.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.72 CA$20.72

$8.64 COP 28.1K

70.37%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 CA$6.09

$2.28 COP 7,425

89.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 CA$1.98

$1.11 COP 3,603

26.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.17 CA$5.86

$1.53 COP 4,982

172.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.32 CA$6.08

$1.35 COP 4,410

220.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.42 CA$3.41

$1.13 COP 3,674

114.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 CA$3.65

$1.13 COP 3,692

129.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 CA$3.70

$0.85 COP 2,753

209.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.42

$0.91 COP 2,975

89.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.81 CA$19.43

$2.34 COP 7,629

490.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.34 CA$17.37

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-0.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 CA$3.97

$1.20 COP 3,909

135.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 CA$4.42

$2.49 COP 8,104

26.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.32 CA$3.26

$0.84 COP 2,727

176.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.8 CA$89.8

$40.57 COP 132.1K

57.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 CA$4.34

$1.42 COP 4,623

117.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.08

$1.92 COP 6,235

-22.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.17 CA$36.83

$7.66 COP 24.9K

241.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.64

$0.99 COP 3,223

17.17%

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

$24.7K CA$34.8K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

37.23%

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

$21.0K CA$29.5K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-21.23%

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

$145 CA$205

$80.8 COP 263.1K

79.87%

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

$43.44 CA$61.1

$9.95 COP 32.4K

336.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 CA$87.6

$24.18 COP 78.7K

157.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.63 CA$60.0

$25.08 COP 81.6K

69.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$11.62 CA$16.35

$3.98 COP 13.0K

191.96%

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

$727 CA$1,024

$305 COP 993.4K

138.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K CA$16.6K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

94.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.0 CA$92.8

$58.1 COP 189.2K

13.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.26 CA$55.2

$32.20 COP 104.8K

21.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.2 CA$100

$101 COP 327.9K

-29.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 CA$150

$108 COP 350.8K

-1.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 CA$1,822

$477 COP 1.6M

171.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 CA$974

$376 COP 1.2M

83.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,046 CA$2,879

$845 COP 2.7M

142.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,811 CA$2,548

$730 COP 2.4M

147.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,547 CA$6,398

$3,215 COP 10.5M

41.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,122 CA$5,800

$1,372 COP 4.5M

200.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,840 CA$3,996

$617 COP 2.0M

360.47%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,295 in Dawson City 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 360% 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 $107 in Dawson City versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $418 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

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

Yes – Dawson City is pricier by about 93%, 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 $2,983 per month in Dawson City 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.

Kindergarten costs $727 per month in Dawson City and $305 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 117% 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 $1,031, than in Dawson City at $1,989. 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.