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: $2,460 in Kelowna versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,617 in Kelowna versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,774 in Kelowna versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Kelowna is roughly 143% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kelowna is 84% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.26 CA$25.28

$5.99 COP 21.4K

204.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.9 CA$92.6

$32.86 COP 117.4K

103.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.17 CA$15.47

$7.09 COP 25.3K

57.55%

Cappuccino

$4.38 CA$6.06

$1.71 COP 6,115

156.14%

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

$2.18 CA$3.02

$1.10 COP 3,924

98.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.39

$0.78 COP 2,781

121.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.98 CA$8.28

$1.68 COP 5,997

255.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.11 CA$8.46

$3.07 COP 11.0K

99.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 CA$2.72

$1.09 COP 3,906

80.73%

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 CA$4.42

$1.26 COP 4,508

153.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.15 CA$4.36

$1.38 COP 4,922

128.26%

Eggs

$3.86 CA$5.35

$2.19 COP 7,827

76.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.10 CA$15.36

$4.40 COP 15.7K

152.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.87 CA$20.59

$5.63 COP 20.1K

164.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.87 CA$27.51

$8.89 COP 31.8K

123.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.17

$2.34 COP 8,349

59.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 CA$1.95

$1.06 COP 3,777

33.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.22

$1.50 COP 5,374

151.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 CA$5.59

$1.38 COP 4,924

192.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 CA$3.58

$1.15 COP 4,111

125.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 CA$4.06

$1.16 COP 4,155

152.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.72 CA$3.77

$0.89 COP 3,182

205.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 CA$2.48

$0.84 COP 2,997

113.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.02 CA$20.79

$2.28 COP 8,145

558.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.79 CA$19.09

$10.64 COP 38.0K

29.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 CA$3.41

$1.20 COP 4,284

105.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 CA$4.31

$2.47 COP 8,824

25.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.89 CA$2.62

$0.86 COP 3,056

119.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.7 CA$70.3

$41.40 COP 147.9K

22.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 CA$4.21

$1.47 COP 5,264

106.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.69 CA$2.34

$1.96 COP 7,009

-13.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.11 CA$48.61

$7.74 COP 27.6K

353.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 CA$1.74

$0.95 COP 3,409

32.63%

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

$24.9K CA$34.5K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

37.31%

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

$20.1K CA$27.8K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-24.28%

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

$141 CA$195

$82.3 COP 293.7K

71.38%

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

$52.4 CA$72.6

$9.50 COP 33.9K

451.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 CA$92.7

$24.23 COP 86.5K

176.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.18 CA$61.2

$25.89 COP 92.4K

70.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.88 CA$44.14

$19.00 COP 67.9K

67.79%

Cinema Ticket

$11.64 CA$16.12

$3.93 COP 14.0K

196.18%

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

$1,055 CA$1,461

$309 COP 1.1M

240.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K CA$23.6K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

186.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 CA$73.7

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-9.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.15 CA$55.6

$32.35 COP 115.5K

24.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.4 CA$118

$103 COP 366.4K

-16.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 CA$175

$108 COP 387.2K

16.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,367 CA$1,893

$476 COP 1.7M

187.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,199 CA$1,660

$379 COP 1.4M

216.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,196 CA$3,041

$838 COP 3.0M

162.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 CA$2,808

$724 COP 2.6M

180.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,081 CA$5,650

$2,791 COP 10.0M

46.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,314 CA$4,588

$1,211 COP 4.3M

173.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,038 CA$4,206

$512 COP 1.8M

493.56%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,367 in Kelowna and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kelowna pays 494% 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 Kelowna vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $401 vs $188 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 143% in total monthly costs ($2,460 vs $1,013 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Kelowna pays 494% more on average, 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: $1,367 in Kelowna versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,460 per month in Kelowna versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 143% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 23% less than in Kelowna. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $2,460 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 143% less than in Kelowna. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.