Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Airdrie Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Airdrie

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,656 per month in Medellin vs $2,564 in Airdrie, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,436 per month in Medellin vs $3,737 in Airdrie, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,216 per month in Medellin vs $4,910 in Airdrie, rent included.

Medellin is about 35% cheaper than Airdrie, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Airdrie sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Airdrie by 90%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.70 COP 24.6K

$19.43 CA$27.27

-60.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.79 COP 152.7K

$77.5 CA$109

-38.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.31 COP 29.7K

$10.79 CA$15.15

-13.72%

Cappuccino

$3.02 COP 9,644

$4.02 CA$5.64

-24.88%

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

$1.79 COP 5,725

$2.16 CA$3.03

-17.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 COP 4,784

$1.90 CA$2.66

-21.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 10.4K

$5.06 CA$7.09

-35.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.3K

$5.64 CA$7.91

1.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 COP 4,548

$1.90 CA$2.67

-25.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 COP 8,051

$2.70 CA$3.79

-6.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 COP 5,342

$3.54 CA$4.97

-52.82%

Eggs

$2.82 COP 9,010

$3.73 CA$5.24

-24.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.25 COP 32.7K

$11.24 CA$15.77

-8.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.47 COP 30.2K

$11.33 CA$15.91

-16.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.91 COP 44.4K

$17.96 CA$25.20

-22.55%

Apples (1kg)

$4.12 COP 13.2K

$4.75 CA$6.67

-13.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 COP 4,971

$1.33 CA$1.87

17.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 COP 7,055

$4.44 CA$6.23

-50.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 COP 7,220

$4.00 CA$5.62

-43.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 COP 6,345

$2.65 CA$3.72

-24.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 COP 4,714

$2.81 CA$3.94

-47.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,664

$2.61 CA$3.66

-55.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 COP 3,970

$1.83 CA$2.56

-32.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 COP 12.7K

$14.49 CA$20.34

-72.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.63 COP 43.5K

$11.53 CA$16.17

18.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 COP 5,345

$3.59 CA$5.04

-53.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 COP 8,771

$3.14 CA$4.40

-12.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,731

$2.10 CA$2.95

-44.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.5 COP 254.0K

$175 CA$246

-54.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,085

$3.13 CA$4.39

-59.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.16 COP 6,903

$1.35 CA$1.89

60.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.28 COP 26.4K

$20.98 CA$29.44

-60.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,309

$1.12 CA$1.58

20.54%

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

$27.4K COP 87.5M

$27.8K CA$38.9K

-1.30%

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

$36.0K COP 115.1M

$20.0K CA$28.1K

79.72%

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

$173 COP 552.9K

$225 CA$316

-23.17%

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

$13.73 COP 43.9K

$39.66 CA$55.7

-65.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.34 COP 90.5K

$55.5 CA$77.8

-48.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.27 COP 141.4K

$86.1 CA$121

-48.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.63 COP 53.1K

$35.13 CA$49.30

-52.66%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 COP 21.0K

$14.41 CA$20.23

-54.34%

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

$799 COP 2.6M

$761 CA$1,068

4.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,089 COP 29.0M

$9,547 CA$13.4K

-4.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 COP 280.7K

$44.57 CA$62.5

97.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 186.8K

$42.84 CA$60.1

36.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 441.9K

$87.0 CA$122

59.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.5 COP 311.3K

$109 CA$154

-10.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,033 COP 3.3M

$1,290 CA$1,810

-19.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 COP 2.1M

$1,121 CA$1,573

-42.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,847 COP 5.9M

$1,808 CA$2,537

2.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,026 COP 3.3M

$1,672 CA$2,347

-38.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,108 COP 13.1M

$6,184 CA$8,677

-33.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,678 COP 5.4M

$6,019 CA$8,446

-72.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$651 COP 2.1M

$2,886 CA$4,050

-77.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.32

153.24%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 22, 2026

Last update for Airdrie: September 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,033 in Medellin versus $1,290 in Airdrie. 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 343% higher in Airdrie, 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $77.0 in Airdrie. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $382 – 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

Medellin vs Airdrie: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,656 in Medellin, $2,564 in Airdrie – roughly 55% apart. Airdrie costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,484 per month in Medellin and $3,845 in Airdrie. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,656 in Medellin and $2,564 in Airdrie. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 120% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,656, than in Airdrie at $2,564. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Airdrie it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,656 in Medellin to $2,564 in Airdrie. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Airdrie makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.