Cost of Living Comparison Between Kelowna and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Kelowna and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,446 in Kelowna versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,583 in Kelowna versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,720 in Kelowna versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Kelowna is roughly 137% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kelowna is 83% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.60 CA$26.08

$6.16 COP 20.1K

201.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.1 CA$92.7

$32.60 COP 106.1K

102.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.98 CA$15.39

$7.34 COP 23.9K

49.59%

Cappuccino

$4.23 CA$5.94

$1.72 COP 5,600

145.93%

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

$2.13 CA$2.98

$1.05 COP 3,420

102.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 CA$2.39

$0.77 COP 2,515

122.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 CA$8.28

$1.69 COP 5,488

249.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.43 CA$9.01

$3.17 COP 10.3K

102.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 CA$2.78

$1.05 COP 3,423

89.52%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 CA$4.36

$1.30 COP 4,236

139.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.15 CA$4.41

$1.40 COP 4,544

125.00%

Eggs

$3.75 CA$5.26

$2.16 COP 7,047

73.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.07 CA$15.53

$4.39 COP 14.3K

152.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.22 CA$21.34

$5.88 COP 19.1K

158.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.18 CA$28.29

$8.64 COP 28.1K

133.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.23

$2.28 COP 7,426

63.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 CA$1.98

$1.11 COP 3,604

27.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.79 CA$5.31

$1.53 COP 4,983

147.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.97 CA$5.56

$1.35 COP 4,410

194.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 CA$3.52

$1.13 COP 3,674

122.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 CA$4.03

$1.13 COP 3,692

153.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.71 CA$3.80

$0.85 COP 2,753

218.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 CA$2.59

$0.91 COP 2,975

102.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.51 CA$20.34

$2.34 COP 7,630

520.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.54 CA$18.99

$12.37 COP 40.3K

9.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 CA$3.30

$1.20 COP 3,909

96.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 CA$4.29

$2.49 COP 8,104

22.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.80 CA$2.52

$0.84 COP 2,728

114.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.4 CA$73.4

$40.57 COP 132.1K

29.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.90 CA$4.07

$1.42 COP 4,623

104.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 CA$2.39

$1.92 COP 6,235

-10.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.79 CA$50.2

$7.66 COP 24.9K

367.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 CA$1.75

$0.99 COP 3,223

26.26%

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

$25.3K CA$35.5K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

40.60%

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

$20.2K CA$28.3K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-24.20%

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

$141 CA$198

$80.8 COP 263.1K

74.66%

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

$51.9 CA$72.8

$9.95 COP 32.4K

422.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.1 CA$92.6

$24.18 COP 78.7K

173.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.44 CA$62.3

$25.08 COP 81.7K

77.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.58 CA$44.27

$19.15 COP 62.3K

64.91%

Cinema Ticket

$11.58 CA$16.24

$3.98 COP 13.0K

190.95%

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

$1,086 CA$1,523

$305 COP 993.5K

256.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K CA$23.3K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

174.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.5 CA$72.2

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-11.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.83 CA$55.8

$32.20 COP 104.8K

23.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 CA$120

$101 COP 327.9K

-15.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 CA$181

$108 COP 350.8K

19.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,389 CA$1,947

$477 COP 1.6M

191.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 CA$1,684

$376 COP 1.2M

219.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,229 CA$3,124

$845 COP 2.7M

163.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,979 CA$2,774

$730 COP 2.4M

170.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 CA$5,527

$3,215 COP 10.5M

22.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,230 CA$4,529

$1,372 COP 4.5M

135.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,953 CA$4,141

$617 COP 2.0M

378.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

13.43

-51.38%

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

Last update for Kelowna: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,389 in Kelowna and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kelowna pays 379% 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 Kelowna vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $402 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

Kelowna vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kelowna and Medellin differ by about 137% in total monthly costs ($2,446 vs $1,031 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 379% higher in Kelowna, 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: $1,389 in Kelowna versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,446 per month in Kelowna versus $1,031 in Medellin – a 137% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 29% less than in Kelowna. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $2,446 in Kelowna, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Kelowna. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Kelowna and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 137% less than in Kelowna. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.