Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Armstrong

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,614 a month against $2,303 in Armstrong, rent and utilities included – about $8,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index
109

Cost of Living Index in Armstrong
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Armstrong Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,614

/mo nomad

Armstrong

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,303

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Armstrong

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Armstrong actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,614 in Medellin versus $2,303 in Armstrong.

Medellin $1,614
Armstrong $2,303

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,402 in Medellin versus $3,345 in Armstrong.

Medellin $2,402
Armstrong $3,345

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,190 in Medellin versus $4,386 in Armstrong.

Medellin $3,190
Armstrong $4,386

Living in Medellin costs roughly 30% less than in Armstrong, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 20% above, Armstrong 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.93 COP 25.2K

$20.75 CA$29.51

-61.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.13 COP 146.7K

$73.3 CA$104

-37.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 30.2K

$10.68 CA$15.18

-11.05%

Cappuccino

$3.11 COP 9,897

$3.57 CA$5.08

-12.89%

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

$1.83 COP 5,818

$2.56 CA$3.65

-28.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 COP 4,374

$1.70 CA$2.42

-18.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 COP 9,702

$5.96 CA$8.48

-48.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.50 COP 17.5K

$6.17 CA$8.78

-10.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 COP 4,614

$2.29 CA$3.25

-36.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.36 COP 7,519

$2.43 CA$3.45

-2.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 COP 5,345

$3.12 CA$4.44

-46.15%

Eggs

$2.86 COP 9,106

$3.70 CA$5.26

-22.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 COP 32.4K

$9.69 CA$13.77

5.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 COP 30.3K

$10.34 CA$14.71

-7.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.04 COP 44.7K

$16.95 CA$24.10

-17.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.07 COP 12.9K

$3.72 CA$5.29

9.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,757

$1.38 CA$1.96

8.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 COP 6,913

$4.04 CA$5.75

-46.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 COP 7,333

$4.07 CA$5.79

-43.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 COP 6,132

$2.54 CA$3.61

-24.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 COP 5,212

$2.22 CA$3.16

-26.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 COP 3,582

$2.45 CA$3.49

-53.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,966

$1.42 CA$2.02

-11.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 COP 12.7K

$12.98 CA$18.45

-69.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.35 COP 42.5K

$12.37 CA$17.59

7.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 COP 5,400

$3.25 CA$4.62

-47.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 7,549

$3.81 CA$5.42

-37.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 COP 3,839

$2.22 CA$3.15

-45.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.5 COP 243.3K

$64.6 CA$91.8

18.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.32 COP 4,193

$2.13 CA$3.03

-38.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 COP 6,795

$1.88 CA$2.67

13.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.47 COP 26.9K

$12.11 CA$17.22

-30.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,127

$1.23 CA$1.75

5.69%

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

$28.0K COP 89.0M

$24.6K CA$35.0K

13.79%

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

$35.4K COP 112.6M

$18.4K CA$26.2K

91.95%

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

$172 COP 547.3K

$130 CA$185

32.28%

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

$13.37 COP 42.5K

$27.75 CA$39.46

-51.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.73 COP 91.4K

$55.7 CA$79.1

-48.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.24 COP 143.9K

$37.89 CA$53.9

19.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.04 COP 54.2K

$15.43 CA$21.94

10.43%

Cinema Ticket

$6.28 COP 20.0K

$10.00 CA$14.21

-37.20%

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

$770 COP 2.4M

$138 CA$197

456.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,011 COP 28.7M

$3,902 CA$5,548

130.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.4 COP 274.8K

$58.0 CA$82.4

49.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.1 COP 181.7K

$38.00 CA$54.0

50.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 434.3K

$80.7 CA$115

69.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 COP 311.4K

$75.1 CA$107

30.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,055 COP 3.4M

$1,058 CA$1,505

-0.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$616 COP 2.0M

$1,176 CA$1,673

-47.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,892 COP 6.0M

$1,808 CA$2,570

4.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,023 COP 3.3M

$1,793 CA$2,550

-42.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,059 COP 12.9M

$3,559 CA$5,060

14.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,678 COP 5.3M

$3,697 CA$5,257

-54.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$652 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.58

138.86%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Last update for Armstrong: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$616 38.2%

Armstrong

$1.2K 51.1% 91% $561

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$295 18.3%

Armstrong

$357 15.5% 21.1% $62

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$214 13.3%

Armstrong

$214 9.3% 0.3% $0.7

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$170 10.5%

Armstrong

$113 4.9% 33.4% $57

Eating Out

Medellin

$168 10.4%

Armstrong

$300 13% 78.2% $132

Getting Around

Medellin

$93 5.8%

Armstrong

$85 3.7% 9% $8.4

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$58 3.6%

Armstrong

$58 2.5% 0.1% $0.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,055 in Medellin and $1,058 in Armstrong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Medellin vs $73.0 in Armstrong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $357 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇨🇦 Armstrong

🕒 Local time

15:33 3:33 PM

16:33 4:33 PM

1 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.14 USD

10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR

1 CAD = 0.703 USD

1 CAD = 0.628 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 14, 2026: 1 USD = 3,181 COP (10,000 COP = 3.14 USD). 1 EUR = 3,564 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 14, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 CAD (1 CAD = 0.703 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.628 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Medellin Armstrong 5,050 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Armstrong

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Armstrong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. The 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,421 in Medellin and $3,455 in Armstrong to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,055 in Medellin versus $1,058 in Armstrong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 18% less than in Armstrong. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $770 in Medellin versus $138 in Armstrong. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,614 in Medellin versus $2,303 in Armstrong, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Armstrong. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Armstrong, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Armstrong. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.