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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Joliette vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,554 per month in Joliette vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,469 per month in Joliette vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Joliette and Medellin have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Joliette and Medellin sit above the global median – Joliette by 19%, Medellin by 19%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.90 CA$24.82

$8.04 COP 24.8K

122.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.9 CA$76.2

$48.29 COP 148.6K

13.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.35 CA$15.75

$9.42 COP 29.0K

20.49%

Cappuccino

$2.48 CA$3.44

$2.94 COP 9,040

-15.65%

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

$2.09 CA$2.89

$1.86 COP 5,735

12.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 CA$2.07

$1.46 COP 4,479

2.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.35 CA$6.04

$3.21 COP 9,882

35.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.61 CA$7.78

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-1.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 CA$2.79

$1.44 COP 4,428

39.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 CA$3.46

$2.40 COP 7,389

3.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.08 CA$5.66

$1.70 COP 5,228

140.00%

Eggs

$2.56 CA$3.55

$2.89 COP 8,896

-11.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.84 CA$12.26

$10.06 COP 30.9K

-12.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.82 CA$15.00

$9.97 COP 30.7K

8.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.88 CA$15.08

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-23.38%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 CA$5.97

$3.98 COP 12.3K

8.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 CA$2.14

$1.58 COP 4,878

-2.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.75 CA$5.20

$2.15 COP 6,624

74.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.16 CA$5.77

$2.30 COP 7,078

80.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.88 CA$4.00

$2.00 COP 6,169

44.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.96 CA$4.11

$1.51 COP 4,646

96.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 CA$2.37

$1.20 COP 3,701

42.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 CA$2.14

$1.28 COP 3,946

20.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.92 CA$20.69

$3.84 COP 11.8K

288.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.34 CA$15.73

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-19.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 CA$4.05

$1.71 COP 5,256

70.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 CA$4.67

$2.74 COP 8,440

22.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 CA$3.30

$1.25 COP 3,834

90.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.7 CA$86.9

$77.9 COP 239.7K

-19.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.90 CA$4.02

$1.31 COP 4,016

121.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$2.17 COP 6,680

-32.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.66 CA$49.46

$8.29 COP 25.5K

330.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 CA$1.31

$1.36 COP 4,172

-30.88%

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

$28.5K CA$39.5K

$27.5K COP 84.5M

3.57%

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

$21.1K CA$29.3K

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-42.17%

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

$101 CA$140

$169 COP 519.2K

-40.13%

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

$32.69 CA$45.34

$13.57 COP 41.8K

140.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.26 CA$64.2

$28.32 COP 87.2K

63.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.98 CA$56.8

$45.71 COP 140.7K

-10.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 CA$25.79

$17.22 COP 53.0K

8.01%

Cinema Ticket

$11.20 CA$15.54

$6.65 COP 20.5K

68.42%

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

$694 CA$962

$803 COP 2.5M

-13.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,651 CA$13.4K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

5.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 CA$70.8

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-41.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.04 CA$55.5

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-32.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.9 CA$119

$139 COP 427.5K

-38.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$147

$102 COP 314.0K

4.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 CA$912

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-38.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 CA$848

$653 COP 2.0M

-6.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,313 CA$1,821

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-31.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,096 CA$1,520

$1,048 COP 3.2M

4.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,289 CA$5,949

$4,123 COP 12.7M

4.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,708 CA$5,142

$1,697 COP 5.2M

118.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,801 CA$3,885

$655 COP 2.0M

327.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.45

10.94

-59.32%

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

Last update for Joliette: September 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $657 in Joliette versus $1,071 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 328% higher in Joliette. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Joliette versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $335 vs $300 – 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,458 per month in Joliette and $2,462 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Joliette, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Joliette and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 24% less in Joliette. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Joliette, where all-in costs run around $1,639, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Joliette it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Joliette – 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 Joliette. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.