Cost of Living Comparison Between Joliette and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Joliette and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,789 per month in Joliette vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,697 per month in Joliette vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,606 per month in Joliette vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Joliette costs about 74% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Joliette sits 34% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.17 CA$25.57

$6.16 COP 20.1K

194.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.6 CA$78.3

$32.60 COP 106.1K

70.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.22 CA$15.79

$7.34 COP 23.9K

52.86%

Cappuccino

$2.60 CA$3.66

$1.72 COP 5,599

51.16%

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

$2.16 CA$3.03

$1.05 COP 3,420

105.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.40

$0.77 COP 2,515

120.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.32 CA$6.08

$1.69 COP 5,487

155.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.59 CA$9.27

$3.17 COP 10.3K

107.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.37 CA$3.34

$1.05 COP 3,423

125.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 CA$3.58

$1.30 COP 4,236

96.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.18 CA$4.47

$1.40 COP 4,544

127.14%

Eggs

$2.54 CA$3.57

$2.16 COP 7,046

17.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.19 CA$15.75

$4.39 COP 14.3K

154.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.82 CA$18.04

$5.88 COP 19.1K

118.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.76 CA$22.18

$8.64 COP 28.1K

82.41%

Apples (1kg)

$4.39 CA$6.18

$2.28 COP 7,425

92.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.99

$1.11 COP 3,603

27.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.36 CA$4.72

$1.53 COP 4,982

119.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.72 CA$5.24

$1.35 COP 4,410

175.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.52

$1.13 COP 3,674

121.24%

Onion (1kg)

$3.08 CA$4.34

$1.13 COP 3,692

172.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.73 CA$2.43

$0.85 COP 2,753

103.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.18

$0.91 COP 2,975

70.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.16 CA$19.92

$2.34 COP 7,629

505.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.23 CA$15.80

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-9.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 CA$3.43

$1.20 COP 3,909

103.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 CA$4.50

$2.49 COP 8,104

28.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 CA$3.35

$0.84 COP 2,727

183.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.9 CA$87.2

$40.57 COP 132.1K

52.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 CA$3.86

$1.42 COP 4,623

92.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.10

$1.92 COP 6,235

-22.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.07 CA$28.24

$7.66 COP 24.9K

162.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 CA$1.37

$0.99 COP 3,223

-1.01%

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

$24.6K CA$34.7K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

36.65%

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

$21.8K CA$30.7K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-17.95%

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

$164 CA$230

$80.8 COP 263.1K

102.46%

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

$43.19 CA$60.8

$9.95 COP 32.4K

334.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.7 CA$72.8

$24.18 COP 78.7K

113.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.80 CA$58.8

$25.08 COP 81.6K

66.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$11.11 CA$15.63

$3.98 COP 13.0K

179.15%

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

$895 CA$1,259

$305 COP 993.4K

193.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K CA$22.7K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

166.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 CA$71.9

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-12.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.24 CA$58.0

$32.20 COP 104.8K

28.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.9 CA$125

$101 COP 327.9K

-11.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.9 CA$135

$108 COP 350.8K

-11.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$691 CA$973

$477 COP 1.6M

45.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 CA$876

$376 COP 1.2M

65.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,322 CA$1,861

$845 COP 2.7M

56.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,108 CA$1,559

$730 COP 2.4M

51.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,836 CA$5,398

$3,215 COP 10.5M

19.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,523 CA$4,958

$1,372 COP 4.5M

156.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,710 CA$3,813

$617 COP 2.0M

339.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.48

13.43

-59.20%

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

Last update for Joliette: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $691 in Joliette 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.

Salaries run about 339% higher in Joliette, 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 $56.0 in Joliette versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $360 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

Joliette vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Joliette is pricier by about 74%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,683 per month in Joliette 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 $895 per month in Joliette 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 86% more in Joliette, 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 Joliette at $1,789. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Joliette 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, Joliette makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.