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: $3,041 in Iqaluit, NU versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,109 in Iqaluit, NU versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,176 in Iqaluit, NU versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Iqaluit, NU is roughly 195% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Iqaluit, NU is 128% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.86 CA$44.83

$6.16 COP 20.1K

417.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.5 CA$94.9

$32.60 COP 106.1K

106.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 CA$18.56

$7.34 COP 23.9K

79.70%

Cappuccino

$6.80 CA$9.56

$1.72 COP 5,599

295.35%

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

$3.93 CA$5.53

$1.05 COP 3,420

274.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 CA$2.36

$0.77 COP 2,515

118.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.69 CA$9.42

$1.69 COP 5,487

295.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 CA$8.08

$3.17 COP 10.3K

81.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.44 CA$3.44

$1.05 COP 3,423

132.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 CA$3.80

$1.30 COP 4,236

107.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.89 CA$4.07

$1.40 COP 4,544

106.43%

Eggs

$4.48 CA$6.30

$2.16 COP 7,046

107.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.15 CA$17.09

$4.39 COP 14.3K

176.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.61 CA$19.15

$5.88 COP 19.1K

131.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.53 CA$35.93

$8.64 COP 28.1K

195.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 CA$2.76

$2.28 COP 7,425

-14.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.16

$1.11 COP 3,603

165.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 CA$2.79

$1.53 COP 4,982

29.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 CA$2.84

$1.35 COP 4,410

49.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.14

$1.13 COP 3,674

160.18%

Onion (1kg)

$4.04 CA$5.69

$1.13 COP 3,692

257.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.03 CA$4.26

$0.85 COP 2,753

256.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.60 CA$5.07

$0.91 COP 2,975

295.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.96 CA$19.64

$2.34 COP 7,629

496.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.07 CA$16.98

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-2.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 CA$2.12

$1.20 COP 3,909

25.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 CA$3.13

$2.49 COP 8,104

-10.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.30 CA$3.24

$0.84 COP 2,727

173.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$145 CA$204

$40.57 COP 132.1K

257.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.47 CA$9.11

$1.42 COP 4,623

355.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 CA$1.02

$1.92 COP 6,235

-62.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.24 CA$36.92

$7.66 COP 24.9K

242.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 CA$1.85

$0.99 COP 3,223

32.32%

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

$49.4K CA$69.5K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

173.92%

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

$45.7K CA$64.3K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

71.66%

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

$118 CA$167

$80.8 COP 263.1K

46.52%

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

$56.1 CA$79.0

$9.95 COP 32.4K

464.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.8 CA$78.5

$24.18 COP 78.7K

130.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.48 CA$58.4

$25.08 COP 81.6K

65.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.06 CA$31.03

$19.15 COP 62.3K

15.20%

Cinema Ticket

$8.50 CA$11.96

$3.98 COP 13.0K

113.57%

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

$989 CA$1,392

$305 COP 993.4K

224.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,940 CA$5,545

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-34.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 CA$88.0

$58.1 COP 189.2K

7.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.72 CA$51.7

$32.20 COP 104.8K

14.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 CA$142

$101 COP 327.9K

0.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 CA$172

$108 COP 350.8K

13.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,709 CA$2,404

$477 COP 1.6M

258.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,615 CA$2,272

$376 COP 1.2M

329.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,034 CA$4,269

$845 COP 2.7M

259.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,786 CA$2,514

$730 COP 2.4M

144.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,270 CA$6,008

$3,215 COP 10.5M

32.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,563 CA$5,014

$1,372 COP 4.5M

159.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,212 CA$5,927

$617 COP 2.0M

582.91%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,709 in Iqaluit, NU and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iqaluit, NU pays 583% 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: $67.0 in Iqaluit, NU vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $416 vs $193 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 195% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 583% higher in Iqaluit, NU, 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: $1,709 in Iqaluit, NU versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $989 in Iqaluit, NU versus $305 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 116% higher in Iqaluit, NU. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $3,041 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 195% less than in Iqaluit, NU. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.