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 $1,627 per month in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,411 per month in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,195 per month in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Gran Canaria, Canary Islands costs about 61% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Gran Canaria, Canary Islands sits 21% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.31 €13.18

$5.99 COP 21.4K

155.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.3 €49.30

$32.86 COP 117.2K

74.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.36 €8.92

$7.09 COP 25.3K

46.12%

Cappuccino

$2.15 €1.85

$1.71 COP 6,105

25.73%

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

$2.35 €2.02

$1.10 COP 3,918

113.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 €1.53

$0.78 COP 2,776

128.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 €2.85

$1.68 COP 5,987

97.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 €3.03

$3.07 COP 10.9K

14.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 €1.03

$1.09 COP 3,899

9.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 €1.22

$1.26 COP 4,500

12.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 €1.44

$1.38 COP 4,914

21.74%

Eggs

$2.89 €2.49

$2.19 COP 7,813

31.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.37 €11.51

$4.40 COP 15.7K

203.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.19 €7.05

$5.63 COP 20.1K

45.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.98 €12.90

$8.89 COP 31.7K

68.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.47 €2.12

$2.34 COP 8,334

5.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.06 COP 3,771

88.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.50 COP 5,365

30.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.56 €2.21

$1.38 COP 4,915

85.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.15 COP 4,104

48.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 €1.77

$1.16 COP 4,148

76.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 €1.13

$0.89 COP 3,176

47.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 €0.61

$0.84 COP 2,992

-15.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.39 €5.50

$2.28 COP 8,131

180.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.68 €4.89

$10.64 COP 37.9K

-46.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 €1.04

$1.20 COP 4,276

0.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.84

$2.47 COP 8,809

-13.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.71 €1.47

$0.86 COP 3,051

98.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.68 €29.00

$41.40 COP 147.6K

-18.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.98 €3.43

$1.47 COP 5,255

170.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 €1.09

$1.96 COP 6,997

-35.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.99 €21.52

$7.74 COP 27.6K

222.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.57

$0.95 COP 3,403

91.58%

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

$38.9K €33.5K

$18.1K COP 64.6M

114.69%

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

$30.6K €26.4K

$26.5K COP 94.4M

15.55%

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

$135 €117

$82.3 COP 293.2K

64.56%

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

$20.46 €17.62

$9.50 COP 33.9K

115.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.55 €27.17

$24.23 COP 86.4K

30.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.12 €40.58

$25.89 COP 92.3K

82.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.94 €12.87

$19.00 COP 67.7K

-21.37%

Cinema Ticket

$9.02 €7.76

$3.93 COP 14.0K

129.52%

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

$402 €346

$309 COP 1.1M

29.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,239 €7,095

$5,965 COP 21.3M

38.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.5 €71.9

$58.7 COP 209.1K

42.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.52 €30.59

$32.35 COP 115.3K

9.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.8 €76.5

$103 COP 365.7K

-13.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 €93.8

$108 COP 386.5K

0.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$861 €741

$476 COP 1.7M

80.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$690 €595

$379 COP 1.4M

82.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,307 €1,125

$838 COP 3.0M

55.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,005 €866

$724 COP 2.6M

38.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,393 €2,922

$2,791 COP 9.9M

21.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,289 €1,971

$1,211 COP 4.3M

88.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $861 in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands 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.

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: $260 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

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

Yes – Gran Canaria, Canary Islands is pricier by about 61%, 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 $2,440 per month in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands 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.

Kindergarten costs $402 per month in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands and $309 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 38% 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 $1,013, than in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands at $1,627. 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.