Cost of Living Comparison Between Iqaluit, NU and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Iqaluit, NU and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,053 in Iqaluit, NU versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,047 in Iqaluit, NU versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,042 in Iqaluit, NU versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Iqaluit, NU is roughly 201% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Iqaluit, NU is 128% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.29 CA$43.33

$5.99 COP 21.4K

422.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.7 CA$91.0

$32.86 COP 117.4K

100.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.97 CA$17.96

$7.09 COP 25.3K

82.93%

Cappuccino

$6.69 CA$9.26

$1.71 COP 6,115

291.23%

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

$3.99 CA$5.53

$1.10 COP 3,924

262.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 CA$2.33

$0.78 COP 2,781

115.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.89 CA$9.53

$1.68 COP 5,997

310.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.99 CA$8.30

$3.07 COP 11.0K

95.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.44 CA$3.37

$1.09 COP 3,906

123.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 CA$3.72

$1.26 COP 4,508

113.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.00 CA$4.16

$1.38 COP 4,922

117.39%

Eggs

$4.41 CA$6.11

$2.19 COP 7,827

101.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.17 CA$16.85

$4.40 COP 15.7K

176.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.62 CA$18.86

$5.63 COP 20.1K

141.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.77 CA$34.30

$8.89 COP 31.8K

178.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 CA$2.82

$2.34 COP 8,349

-13.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.98 CA$4.12

$1.06 COP 3,777

181.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 CA$2.72

$1.50 COP 5,374

31.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 CA$2.81

$1.38 COP 4,924

47.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.96 CA$4.10

$1.15 COP 4,111

157.39%

Onion (1kg)

$3.90 CA$5.41

$1.16 COP 4,155

236.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.99 CA$4.14

$0.89 COP 3,182

235.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.55 CA$4.92

$0.84 COP 2,997

322.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.43 CA$19.98

$2.28 COP 8,145

532.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.80 CA$17.73

$10.64 COP 38.0K

20.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$1.20 COP 4,284

21.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 CA$3.03

$2.47 COP 8,824

-11.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 CA$3.25

$0.86 COP 3,056

173.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$144 CA$200

$41.40 COP 147.9K

248.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.82 CA$9.44

$1.47 COP 5,264

363.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 CA$0.98

$1.96 COP 7,009

-63.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.47 CA$35.26

$7.74 COP 27.6K

229.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 CA$1.76

$0.95 COP 3,409

33.68%

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

$50.5K CA$70.0K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

178.72%

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

$45.7K CA$63.3K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

72.52%

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

$119 CA$164

$82.3 COP 293.7K

44.41%

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

$54.3 CA$75.2

$9.50 COP 33.9K

471.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.3 CA$77.9

$24.23 COP 86.5K

132.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.07 CA$58.3

$25.89 COP 92.4K

62.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.02 CA$30.49

$19.00 COP 67.9K

15.89%

Cinema Ticket

$8.50 CA$11.77

$3.93 COP 14.0K

116.28%

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

$1,019 CA$1,411

$309 COP 1.1M

229.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,997 CA$5,534

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-32.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 CA$87.0

$58.7 COP 209.5K

7.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.88 CA$51.1

$32.35 COP 115.5K

14.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$143

$103 COP 366.4K

0.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 CA$167

$108 COP 387.2K

11.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,687 CA$2,336

$476 COP 1.7M

254.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,567 CA$2,169

$379 COP 1.4M

313.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,136 CA$4,342

$838 COP 3.0M

274.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,838 CA$2,545

$724 COP 2.6M

153.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,603 CA$6,373

$2,791 COP 10.0M

64.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,811 CA$5,277

$1,211 COP 4.3M

214.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,299 CA$5,952

$512 COP 1.8M

739.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.1

13.43

-39.69%

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

Last update for Iqaluit, NU: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,687 in Iqaluit, NU and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iqaluit, NU pays 740% 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: $66.0 in Iqaluit, NU vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $414 vs $188 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

Iqaluit, NU vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 201% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Iqaluit, NU pays 740% more on average, 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: $1,687 in Iqaluit, NU versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,019 in Iqaluit, NU versus $309 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 120% higher in Iqaluit, NU. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $3,053 in Iqaluit, NU, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Iqaluit, NU. 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 Iqaluit, NU, 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 201% less than in Iqaluit, NU. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.