Cost of Living Comparison Between Gatineau and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Gatineau and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,127 per month in Gatineau vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,222 per month in Gatineau vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,316 per month in Gatineau vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Gatineau costs about 110% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Gatineau sits 59% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.10 CA$18.21

$5.99 COP 21.4K

118.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.9 CA$121

$32.86 COP 117.2K

164.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.95 CA$15.21

$7.09 COP 25.3K

54.44%

Cappuccino

$3.40 CA$4.73

$1.71 COP 6,105

98.83%

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

$1.49 CA$2.07

$1.10 COP 3,918

35.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 CA$1.94

$0.78 COP 2,776

79.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.30 CA$5.97

$1.68 COP 5,987

155.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.19 CA$8.60

$3.07 COP 10.9K

101.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 CA$2.87

$1.09 COP 3,899

88.99%

White Bread (500g)

$2.96 CA$4.11

$1.26 COP 4,500

134.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.86 CA$6.75

$1.38 COP 4,914

252.17%

Eggs

$3.57 CA$4.97

$2.19 COP 7,813

63.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.03 CA$16.72

$4.40 COP 15.7K

173.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.44 CA$14.50

$5.63 COP 20.1K

85.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 CA$15.42

$8.89 COP 31.7K

24.86%

Apples (1kg)

$4.61 CA$6.40

$2.34 COP 8,334

97.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 CA$1.90

$1.06 COP 3,771

29.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.84 CA$6.72

$1.50 COP 5,365

222.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.63 CA$5.04

$1.38 COP 4,915

163.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 CA$2.84

$1.15 COP 4,104

77.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 CA$3.09

$1.16 COP 4,148

92.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.09 CA$2.91

$0.89 COP 3,176

134.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 CA$3.84

$0.84 COP 2,992

229.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.99 CA$16.66

$2.28 COP 8,131

425.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.43 CA$17.27

$10.64 COP 37.9K

16.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 CA$3.43

$1.20 COP 4,276

105.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 CA$4.04

$2.47 COP 8,809

17.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.23 CA$4.49

$0.86 COP 3,051

275.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$82.1 CA$114

$41.40 COP 147.6K

98.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.86 CA$5.36

$1.47 COP 5,255

162.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 CA$2.05

$1.96 COP 6,997

-25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.65 CA$46.76

$7.74 COP 27.6K

334.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.61

$0.95 COP 3,403

22.11%

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

$24.8K CA$34.4K

$18.1K COP 64.6M

36.60%

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

$20.5K CA$28.5K

$26.5K COP 94.4M

-22.51%

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

$111 CA$154

$82.3 COP 293.2K

34.60%

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

$39.98 CA$55.6

$9.50 COP 33.9K

320.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.08 CA$68.2

$24.23 COP 86.4K

102.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.54 CA$59.1

$25.89 COP 92.3K

64.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.89 CA$42.91

$19.00 COP 67.7K

62.58%

Cinema Ticket

$11.18 CA$15.54

$3.93 COP 14.0K

184.48%

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

$575 CA$799

$309 COP 1.1M

85.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K CA$16.6K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

100.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.7 CA$89.9

$58.7 COP 209.1K

10.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.48 CA$61.8

$32.35 COP 115.3K

37.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 CA$109

$103 COP 365.7K

-23.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 CA$169

$108 COP 386.5K

12.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,119 CA$1,554

$476 COP 1.7M

134.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$975 CA$1,355

$379 COP 1.4M

157.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,626 CA$2,259

$838 COP 3.0M

93.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,607 CA$2,232

$724 COP 2.6M

121.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,304 CA$7,370

$2,791 COP 9.9M

90.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,116 CA$8,498

$1,211 COP 4.3M

404.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,631 CA$3,656

$512 COP 1.8M

414.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

13.43

-51.60%

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

Last update for Gatineau: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,119 in Gatineau 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 414% higher in Gatineau, 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 $87.0 in Gatineau versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $369 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

Gatineau vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gatineau costs about 110% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,190 per month in Gatineau 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,127 in Gatineau and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 98% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Gatineau at $2,127. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Gatineau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,013 versus $2,127 in Gatineau. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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