Cost of Living Comparison Between Gran Canaria, Canary Islands and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Gran Canaria, Canary Islands and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,625 per month in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,389 per month in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,153 per month in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Gran Canaria, Canary Islands costs about 58% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Gran Canaria, Canary Islands sits 22% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.93 €13.06

$6.16 COP 20.1K

142.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.3 €50.2

$32.60 COP 106.1K

75.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 €9.22

$7.34 COP 23.9K

43.60%

Cappuccino

$2.17 €1.90

$1.72 COP 5,600

26.16%

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

$2.35 €2.06

$1.05 COP 3,420

123.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 €1.55

$0.77 COP 2,515

129.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 €2.87

$1.69 COP 5,488

94.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 €3.06

$3.17 COP 10.3K

10.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 €1.05

$1.05 COP 3,423

14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 €1.23

$1.30 COP 4,236

8.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 €1.39

$1.40 COP 4,544

13.57%

Eggs

$2.82 €2.47

$2.16 COP 7,047

30.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.59 €11.89

$4.39 COP 14.3K

209.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.20 €7.17

$5.88 COP 19.1K

39.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.13 €13.24

$8.64 COP 28.1K

75.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 €2.22

$2.28 COP 7,426

11.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 €1.73

$1.11 COP 3,604

78.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 €1.67

$1.53 COP 4,983

24.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.31

$1.35 COP 4,410

95.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.13 COP 3,674

51.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.79

$1.13 COP 3,692

80.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 €1.17

$0.85 COP 2,753

57.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 €0.66

$0.91 COP 2,975

-16.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.41 €5.61

$2.34 COP 7,630

173.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.96 €5.21

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-51.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 €1.10

$1.20 COP 3,909

5.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 €1.77

$2.49 COP 8,104

-18.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.69 €1.48

$0.84 COP 2,728

101.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.12 €29.85

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-15.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.57

$1.42 COP 4,623

187.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 €1.04

$1.92 COP 6,235

-38.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.97 €21.85

$7.66 COP 24.9K

225.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.83 €1.60

$0.99 COP 3,223

84.85%

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

$39.1K €34.2K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

116.83%

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

$29.7K €26.0K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

11.56%

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

$136 €119

$80.8 COP 263.1K

68.47%

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

$20.47 €17.91

$9.95 COP 32.4K

105.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.74 €26.90

$24.18 COP 78.7K

27.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.24 €42.20

$25.08 COP 81.7K

92.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.31 €13.39

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-20.05%

Cinema Ticket

$9.38 €8.21

$3.98 COP 13.0K

135.68%

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

$409 €358

$305 COP 993.5K

33.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,183 €7,160

$6,059 COP 19.7M

35.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.1 €72.7

$58.1 COP 189.2K

43.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.68 €31.21

$32.20 COP 104.8K

10.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.3 €76.4

$101 COP 327.9K

-13.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 €93.1

$108 COP 350.8K

-1.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$848 €742

$477 COP 1.6M

77.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$691 €605

$376 COP 1.2M

83.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,313 €1,149

$845 COP 2.7M

55.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,016 €889

$730 COP 2.4M

39.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,303 €2,890

$3,215 COP 10.5M

2.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,291 €2,004

$1,372 COP 4.5M

66.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

13.43

-73.94%

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

Last update for Gran Canaria, Canary Islands: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $848 in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $57.0 in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $262 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

Gran Canaria, Canary Islands vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Gran Canaria, Canary Islands is pricier by about 58%, 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 $2,438 per month in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands 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 $409 per month in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands 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 36% more in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, 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 Gran Canaria, Canary Islands at $1,625. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands 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.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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