Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort McMurray and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort McMurray and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,262 per month in Fort McMurray vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,426 per month in Fort McMurray vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,590 per month in Fort McMurray vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Fort McMurray costs about 32% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Fort McMurray and Medellin sit above the global median – Fort McMurray by 65%, Medellin by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.96 CA$30.28

$8.03 COP 25.2K

173.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.7 CA$79.5

$48.26 COP 151.7K

19.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.59 CA$20.12

$9.77 COP 30.7K

49.33%

Cappuccino

$3.92 CA$5.41

$2.91 COP 9,149

34.71%

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

$2.44 CA$3.36

$1.94 COP 6,110

25.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 CA$2.26

$1.52 COP 4,783

7.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.65 CA$7.79

$3.09 COP 9,721

82.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 CA$7.50

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-5.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 CA$2.01

$1.36 COP 4,287

6.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 CA$3.87

$2.39 COP 7,505

17.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.08 CA$4.25

$1.70 COP 5,346

81.18%

Eggs

$3.11 CA$4.29

$2.87 COP 9,021

8.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.64 CA$18.81

$9.94 COP 31.2K

37.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.52 CA$18.64

$10.78 COP 33.9K

25.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.36 CA$28.08

$14.73 COP 46.3K

38.22%

Apples (1kg)

$4.73 CA$6.53

$4.09 COP 12.8K

15.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.86

$1.57 COP 4,940

-14.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.48 CA$7.55

$2.13 COP 6,682

157.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.71 CA$9.25

$2.21 COP 6,959

203.62%

Potato (1kg)

$3.82 CA$5.26

$2.05 COP 6,435

86.34%

Onion (1kg)

$4.16 CA$5.73

$1.50 COP 4,728

177.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.08 CA$4.24

$1.19 COP 3,740

158.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 CA$1.89

$1.16 COP 3,640

18.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.83 CA$21.83

$3.90 COP 12.2K

305.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 CA$19.71

$14.44 COP 45.4K

-0.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 CA$6.04

$1.58 COP 4,978

177.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 CA$4.95

$2.83 COP 8,889

26.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 CA$1.96

$1.17 COP 3,672

21.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.7 CA$69.9

$77.7 COP 244.3K

-34.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.70 CA$5.10

$1.28 COP 4,038

189.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 CA$1.57

$2.09 COP 6,576

-45.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.17 CA$45.75

$8.62 COP 27.1K

284.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 CA$1.45

$1.30 COP 4,080

-19.23%

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

$28.2K CA$38.9K

$27.7K COP 86.9M

1.88%

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

$22.2K CA$30.7K

$35.5K COP 111.6M

-37.38%

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

$201 CA$277

$176 COP 553.4K

14.00%

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

$49.44 CA$68.2

$13.37 COP 42.0K

269.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.0 CA$84.1

$29.89 COP 94.0K

103.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.66 CA$63.0

$44.76 COP 140.7K

2.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.27 CA$12.78

$17.06 COP 53.6K

-45.66%

Cinema Ticket

$12.92 CA$17.81

$6.20 COP 19.5K

108.39%

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

$575 CA$793

$793 COP 2.5M

-27.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.2 CA$92.6

$85.6 COP 269.1K

-21.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.24 CA$49.98

$58.5 COP 183.8K

-38.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.7 CA$108

$136 COP 428.4K

-42.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.5 CA$118

$103 COP 324.1K

-17.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$917 CA$1,264

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-13.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,001 CA$1,380

$680 COP 2.1M

47.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,649 CA$2,273

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-18.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,697 CA$2,340

$1,169 COP 3.7M

45.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,736 CA$3,772

$4,111 COP 12.9M

-33.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,918 CA$2,645

$1,701 COP 5.3M

12.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,181 CA$4,387

$665 COP 2.1M

378.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.77

10.94

-56.40%

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

Last update for Fort McMurray: September 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $917 in Fort McMurray versus $1,060 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 378% higher in Fort McMurray, 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 $58.0 in Fort McMurray versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $430 vs $303 – 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

Fort McMurray vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,262 in Fort McMurray, $1,716 in Medellin – roughly 32% apart. Fort McMurray costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,393 per month in Fort McMurray and $2,574 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,262 in Fort McMurray and $1,716 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 53% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,716, than in Fort McMurray at $2,262. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fort McMurray it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,716 in Medellin to $2,262 in Fort McMurray. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Fort McMurray makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.