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: $2,184 in Duncan BC versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,477 in Duncan BC versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,770 in Duncan BC versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Duncan BC is roughly 30% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Duncan BC 60% above, Medellin 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.34 CA$25.49

$8.02 COP 24.9K

128.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.7 CA$99.7

$47.87 COP 148.7K

49.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.00 CA$15.29

$9.89 COP 30.7K

11.22%

Cappuccino

$4.04 CA$5.61

$3.13 COP 9,725

29.07%

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

$2.19 CA$3.04

$1.91 COP 5,929

14.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.42

$1.51 COP 4,692

15.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.30 CA$7.37

$3.12 COP 9,705

69.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.84 CA$8.12

$5.75 COP 17.9K

1.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 CA$2.27

$1.44 COP 4,490

13.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.65 CA$3.68

$2.49 COP 7,726

6.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.45 CA$6.19

$1.77 COP 5,511

151.41%

Eggs

$4.01 CA$5.58

$2.96 COP 9,196

35.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.67 CA$16.22

$10.07 COP 31.3K

15.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.76 CA$19.13

$10.12 COP 31.4K

35.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.54 CA$20.21

$14.30 COP 44.4K

1.68%

Apples (1kg)

$4.40 CA$6.11

$4.14 COP 12.9K

6.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.86

$1.61 COP 4,997

-16.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.94 CA$5.48

$2.25 COP 6,977

75.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.00 CA$5.56

$2.25 COP 6,998

77.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.84 CA$3.95

$2.04 COP 6,348

39.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.98 CA$4.14

$1.54 COP 4,770

93.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.66 CA$3.70

$1.17 COP 3,636

127.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.30

$1.31 COP 4,060

25.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.17 CA$19.70

$3.90 COP 12.1K

263.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.00 CA$16.68

$14.01 COP 43.5K

-14.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 CA$3.78

$1.74 COP 5,416

56.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 CA$4.11

$2.87 COP 8,918

2.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 CA$2.83

$1.22 COP 3,776

67.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.7 CA$104

$80.5 COP 250.1K

-7.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 CA$3.82

$1.31 COP 4,067

109.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 CA$2.23

$2.19 COP 6,796

-26.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.57 CA$45.27

$8.71 COP 27.1K

273.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 CA$1.76

$1.37 COP 4,241

-7.30%

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

$26.6K CA$37.0K

$27.8K COP 86.5M

-4.47%

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

$19.5K CA$27.2K

$35.8K COP 111.2M

-45.39%

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

$77.8 CA$108

$177 COP 550.9K

-56.14%

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

$35.64 CA$49.55

$13.88 COP 43.1K

156.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.2 CA$69.8

$29.72 COP 92.4K

68.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.1 CA$86.3

$44.88 COP 139.5K

38.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.2K

Cinema Ticket

$11.68 CA$16.23

$6.65 COP 20.6K

75.64%

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

$1,064 CA$1,480

$813 COP 2.5M

30.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K CA$14.1K

$9,187 COP 28.5M

10.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.2 CA$79.4

$89.5 COP 278.1K

-36.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.66 CA$48.18

$59.0 COP 183.2K

-41.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.9 CA$121

$138 COP 429.4K

-37.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.2 CA$128

$102 COP 317.3K

-9.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,250 CA$1,738

$1,062 COP 3.3M

17.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 CA$1,474

$663 COP 2.1M

59.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,294 CA$3,188

$1,888 COP 5.9M

21.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,166 CA$3,010

$1,027 COP 3.2M

110.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,425 CA$6,152

$4,183 COP 13.0M

5.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,642 CA$5,062

$1,675 COP 5.2M

117.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,112 CA$4,326

$678 COP 2.1M

359.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

10.94

-61.52%

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

Last update for Duncan BC: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,250 in Duncan BC and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Duncan BC pays 359% 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: $72.0 in Duncan BC vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $378 vs $305 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 359% higher in Duncan BC, 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: $1,250 in Duncan BC versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% 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 $48.00 versus $72.0 in Duncan BC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,681 in Medellin versus $2,184 in Duncan BC, a $2,500 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 30% less than in Duncan BC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.