Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Armstrong Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Armstrong

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $2,429 in Armstrong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $3,456 in Armstrong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $4,483 in Armstrong.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 59% less than in Armstrong, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 25% below, Armstrong is 83% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$21.65 CA$30.35

-72.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$70.4 CA$98.6

-53.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$11.20 CA$15.69

-33.66%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$3.76 CA$5.27

-56.12%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$2.60 CA$3.64

-57.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$2.01 CA$2.82

-61.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$5.96 CA$8.36

-71.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$6.79 CA$9.51

-53.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$2.78 CA$3.89

-60.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$2.49 CA$3.48

-49.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$3.40 CA$4.77

-59.41%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$3.85 CA$5.39

-43.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$9.74 CA$13.65

-53.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$10.47 CA$14.67

-44.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$15.22 CA$21.33

-41.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$3.88 CA$5.44

-40.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.76 CA$2.46

-39.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$4.06 CA$5.69

-62.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$3.99 CA$5.59

-65.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$2.73 CA$3.83

-58.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$2.23 CA$3.13

-47.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$2.85 CA$3.99

-68.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.81 CA$2.54

-50.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$13.60 CA$19.06

-83.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$12.52 CA$17.54

-3.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$3.51 CA$4.92

-66.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$3.78 CA$5.29

-34.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$2.32 CA$3.25

-63.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$62.5 CA$87.6

-33.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$2.47 CA$3.46

-42.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.63 CA$2.28

19.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$12.77 CA$17.89

-38.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.22 CA$1.71

-18.85%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$25.4K CA$35.6K

-30.71%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$19.8K CA$27.8K

35.12%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$158 CA$222

-47.61%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$45.16 CA$63.3

-78.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$63.4 CA$88.8

-62.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$42.00 CA$58.9

-39.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$10.72 CA$15.03

-63.15%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$440 CA$617

-28.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$3,978 CA$5,574

50.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$61.8 CA$86.6

-2.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$39.16 CA$54.9

-18.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$80.3 CA$113

26.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$78.4 CA$110

37.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$1,297 CA$1,818

-63.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$1,169 CA$1,638

-68.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$2,049 CA$2,872

-58.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$1,781 CA$2,495

-59.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$4,359 CA$6,108

-25.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$3,478 CA$4,873

-58.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.36

111.16%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Armstrong: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $1,297 in Armstrong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $70.0 in Armstrong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $371 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

Medellin vs Armstrong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 142% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,504 in Medellin and $3,644 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: $475 in Medellin versus $1,297 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 50% less than in Armstrong. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $316 in Medellin versus $440 in Armstrong. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $2,429 in Armstrong, a $1,500 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 142% less than in Armstrong. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.