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: $1,028 in Medellin versus $2,410 in Armstrong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,586 in Medellin versus $3,489 in Armstrong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,144 in Medellin versus $4,569 in Armstrong.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 57% less than in Armstrong, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% below, Armstrong is 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$21.76 CA$30.45

-72.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$68.7 CA$96.1

-52.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$11.24 CA$15.73

-33.99%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$3.86 CA$5.40

-57.25%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$2.61 CA$3.66

-59.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$2.00 CA$2.80

-62.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$5.82 CA$8.15

-70.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$6.57 CA$9.20

-51.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$2.72 CA$3.80

-61.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$2.54 CA$3.56

-48.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$3.38 CA$4.74

-60.36%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$3.75 CA$5.25

-41.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$9.77 CA$13.67

-54.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$10.45 CA$14.62

-45.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$15.41 CA$21.56

-44.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$3.99 CA$5.59

-41.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$1.74 CA$2.43

-36.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$4.16 CA$5.82

-63.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$4.04 CA$5.65

-66.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$2.67 CA$3.73

-56.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$2.22 CA$3.11

-46.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$2.84 CA$3.98

-70.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$1.83 CA$2.55

-53.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$13.68 CA$19.15

-83.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$12.98 CA$18.16

-10.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$3.59 CA$5.02

-66.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$3.74 CA$5.24

-33.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$2.31 CA$3.23

-65.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$63.4 CA$88.7

-35.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$2.39 CA$3.34

-38.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$1.60 CA$2.23

20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$12.98 CA$18.16

-40.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$1.26 CA$1.76

-19.84%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$24.9K CA$34.8K

-29.00%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$20.1K CA$28.1K

31.71%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$159 CA$222

-48.93%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$46.07 CA$64.5

-79.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$61.7 CA$86.3

-61.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$42.39 CA$59.3

-38.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$10.60 CA$14.84

-61.42%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$445 CA$623

-29.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$4,097 CA$5,734

46.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$61.7 CA$86.4

-3.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$39.30 CA$55.0

-18.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$81.0 CA$113

24.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$76.8 CA$108

36.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$1,320 CA$1,847

-63.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$1,194 CA$1,671

-69.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$1,984 CA$2,777

-58.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$1,825 CA$2,554

-59.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$4,417 CA$6,182

-32.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$3,719 CA$5,205

-64.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Armstrong: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $485 in Medellin and $1,320 in Armstrong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $69.0 in Armstrong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $373 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, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 134% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,542 in Medellin and $3,615 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: $485 in Medellin versus $1,320 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 55% less than in Armstrong. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $315 in Medellin versus $445 in Armstrong. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,028 in Medellin versus $2,410 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 134% less than in Armstrong. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.