Cost of Living Comparison Between Duncan BC and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Duncan BC and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,354 in Duncan BC versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,584 in Duncan BC versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,813 in Duncan BC versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Duncan BC is roughly 132% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Duncan BC is 76% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.54 CA$25.78

$5.99 COP 21.3K

209.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 CA$96.7

$32.86 COP 116.9K

111.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.24 CA$15.63

$7.09 COP 25.2K

58.53%

Cappuccino

$4.14 CA$5.76

$1.71 COP 6,093

142.11%

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

$2.04 CA$2.83

$1.10 COP 3,910

85.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 CA$2.52

$0.78 COP 2,771

132.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.10 CA$7.09

$1.68 COP 5,976

203.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.12 CA$8.51

$3.07 COP 10.9K

99.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 CA$2.13

$1.09 COP 3,892

40.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.61 CA$3.63

$1.26 COP 4,492

107.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.36 CA$7.46

$1.38 COP 4,905

288.41%

Eggs

$3.53 CA$4.91

$2.19 COP 7,799

61.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.25 CA$14.26

$4.40 COP 15.7K

132.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.06 CA$16.77

$5.63 COP 20.0K

114.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.91 CA$20.74

$8.89 COP 31.6K

67.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 CA$4.64

$2.34 COP 8,319

42.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 CA$1.80

$1.06 COP 3,764

21.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 CA$4.18

$1.50 COP 5,355

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.44 CA$4.79

$1.38 COP 4,906

149.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.38 CA$3.31

$1.15 COP 4,097

106.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 CA$2.82

$1.16 COP 4,141

74.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.37 CA$3.29

$0.89 COP 3,170

166.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 CA$2.44

$0.84 COP 2,986

108.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.34 CA$19.94

$2.28 COP 8,116

528.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.01 CA$16.71

$10.64 COP 37.9K

12.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.84 CA$5.34

$1.20 COP 4,268

220.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 CA$5.50

$2.47 COP 8,793

60.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 CA$2.75

$0.86 COP 3,045

130.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.5 CA$106

$41.40 COP 147.3K

84.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 CA$3.91

$1.47 COP 5,245

91.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.09

$1.96 COP 6,984

-23.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.01 CA$40.35

$7.74 COP 27.5K

274.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 CA$1.88

$0.95 COP 3,397

42.11%

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

$23.3K CA$32.4K

$18.1K COP 64.5M

28.53%

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

$20.7K CA$28.7K

$26.5K COP 94.2M

-21.95%

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

$158 CA$220

$82.3 COP 292.7K

92.02%

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

$41.92 CA$58.3

$9.50 COP 33.8K

341.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 CA$93.0

$24.23 COP 86.2K

175.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.1 CA$89.2

$25.89 COP 92.1K

147.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

Cinema Ticket

$12.72 CA$17.69

$3.93 COP 14.0K

223.66%

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

$920 CA$1,279

$309 COP 1.1M

197.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K CA$14.9K

$5,965 COP 21.2M

79.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.5 CA$78.5

$58.7 COP 208.7K

-3.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.3 CA$71.4

$32.35 COP 115.1K

58.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 CA$138

$103 COP 365.1K

-3.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.1 CA$134

$108 COP 385.8K

-11.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,280 CA$1,781

$476 COP 1.7M

168.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,154 CA$1,605

$379 COP 1.3M

204.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,411 CA$3,353

$838 COP 3.0M

187.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,216 CA$3,082

$724 COP 2.6M

206.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,387 CA$6,101

$2,791 COP 9.9M

57.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,646 CA$5,071

$1,211 COP 4.3M

201.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,217 CA$4,474

$512 COP 1.8M

528.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

13.43

-51.30%

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

Last update for Duncan BC: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,280 in Duncan BC and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Duncan BC pays 529% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $70.0 in Duncan BC vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $359 vs $188 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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

Duncan BC vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 132% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Duncan BC pays 529% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,280 in Duncan BC versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 91% higher in Duncan BC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $70.0 in Duncan BC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $2,354 in Duncan BC, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Duncan BC. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Duncan BC, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 132% less than in Duncan BC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.