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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,745 per month in Joliette vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,663 per month in Joliette vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,581 per month in Joliette vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Joliette costs about 72% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Joliette sits 30% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.09 CA$25.16

$5.99 COP 21.3K

202.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.3 CA$78.3

$32.86 COP 116.9K

71.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.13 CA$15.48

$7.09 COP 25.2K

56.98%

Cappuccino

$2.56 CA$3.56

$1.71 COP 6,093

49.71%

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

$2.16 CA$3.00

$1.10 COP 3,910

96.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.37

$0.78 COP 2,771

117.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.39 CA$6.11

$1.68 COP 5,976

161.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.66 CA$9.26

$3.07 COP 10.9K

116.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 CA$3.18

$1.09 COP 3,892

110.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 CA$3.64

$1.26 COP 4,492

107.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.19 CA$4.43

$1.38 COP 4,905

131.16%

Eggs

$2.65 CA$3.68

$2.19 COP 7,799

21.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.26 CA$15.66

$4.40 COP 15.7K

155.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.00 CA$18.08

$5.63 COP 20.0K

130.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.06 CA$22.34

$8.89 COP 31.6K

80.65%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 CA$5.79

$2.34 COP 8,319

77.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.87

$1.06 COP 3,764

26.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.50 CA$4.87

$1.50 COP 5,355

133.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.70 CA$5.14

$1.38 COP 4,906

168.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.56

$1.15 COP 4,097

122.61%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 CA$4.37

$1.16 COP 4,141

171.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 CA$2.29

$0.89 COP 3,170

84.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 CA$2.11

$0.84 COP 2,986

80.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.14 CA$19.66

$2.28 COP 8,116

520.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.50 CA$15.99

$10.64 COP 37.9K

8.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 CA$3.50

$1.20 COP 4,268

110.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 CA$4.38

$2.47 COP 8,793

27.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 CA$3.39

$0.86 COP 3,045

182.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.5 CA$88.4

$41.40 COP 147.3K

53.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 CA$3.91

$1.47 COP 5,245

91.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.08

$1.96 COP 6,984

-23.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.26 CA$28.17

$7.74 COP 27.5K

161.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 CA$1.33

$0.95 COP 3,397

1.05%

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

$25.3K CA$35.2K

$18.1K COP 64.5M

39.63%

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

$22.3K CA$31.0K

$26.5K COP 94.2M

-15.75%

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

$164 CA$228

$82.3 COP 292.7K

99.33%

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

$43.84 CA$61.0

$9.50 COP 33.8K

361.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.9 CA$72.1

$24.23 COP 86.2K

114.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.53 CA$59.2

$25.89 COP 92.1K

64.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

Cinema Ticket

$11.15 CA$15.51

$3.93 COP 14.0K

183.72%

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

$894 CA$1,244

$309 COP 1.1M

189.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K CA$22.3K

$5,965 COP 21.2M

169.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 CA$73.1

$58.7 COP 208.7K

-10.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.97 CA$57.0

$32.35 COP 115.1K

26.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.8 CA$123

$103 COP 365.1K

-13.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.9 CA$133

$108 COP 385.8K

-11.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$670 CA$932

$476 COP 1.7M

40.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$626 CA$870

$379 COP 1.3M

65.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,346 CA$1,872

$838 COP 3.0M

60.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,101 CA$1,531

$724 COP 2.6M

52.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,624 CA$6,431

$2,791 COP 9.9M

65.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,348 CA$6,046

$1,211 COP 4.3M

258.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,747 CA$3,820

$512 COP 1.8M

436.72%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $670 in Joliette 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.

Salaries run about 437% 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: $361 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

Joliette vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Joliette is pricier by about 72%, 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 $2,617 per month in Joliette 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 $894 per month in Joliette 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 92% 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 $1,013, than in Joliette at $1,745. 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.