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: $1,014 in Medellin versus $2,433 in Armstrong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,596 in Medellin versus $3,470 in Armstrong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,178 in Medellin versus $4,506 in Armstrong.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 58% less than in Armstrong, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 25% below, Armstrong is 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.14 COP 22.2K

$22.21 CA$30.42

-72.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.05 COP 119.3K

$71.0 CA$97.3

-53.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.32 COP 26.4K

$10.95 CA$15.00

-33.15%

Cappuccino

$1.66 COP 5,987

$3.70 CA$5.07

-55.14%

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

$1.10 COP 3,987

$2.62 CA$3.59

-58.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,822

$1.91 CA$2.62

-59.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 COP 6,188

$5.98 CA$8.19

-71.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 11.5K

$6.64 CA$9.10

-52.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 4,012

$2.78 CA$3.81

-60.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,719

$2.54 CA$3.48

-48.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,980

$3.40 CA$4.66

-59.41%

Eggs

$2.22 COP 8,009

$3.82 CA$5.23

-41.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.34 COP 15.7K

$9.94 CA$13.62

-56.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.9K

$10.60 CA$14.52

-45.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.98 COP 32.4K

$15.82 CA$21.68

-43.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 COP 8,164

$3.84 CA$5.27

-41.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,023

$1.72 CA$2.36

-35.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 COP 5,284

$4.01 CA$5.50

-63.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,929

$4.08 CA$5.58

-66.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,009

$2.65 CA$3.64

-58.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,199

$2.22 CA$3.05

-47.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,211

$2.83 CA$3.87

-68.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 COP 3,124

$1.75 CA$2.40

-50.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,495

$13.37 CA$18.32

-82.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.86 COP 39.2K

$13.25 CA$18.15

-18.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,330

$3.47 CA$4.76

-65.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,946

$3.85 CA$5.28

-35.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,842

$2.33 CA$3.20

-66.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.77 COP 147.2K

$63.3 CA$86.7

-35.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 5,137

$2.49 CA$3.41

-42.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,900

$1.66 CA$2.28

15.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.65 COP 27.6K

$12.76 CA$17.48

-40.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 COP 3,490

$1.27 CA$1.74

-23.62%

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

$18.1K COP 65.3M

$24.9K CA$34.2K

-27.44%

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

$26.3K COP 95.0M

$20.0K CA$27.4K

31.44%

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

$81.3 COP 293.5K

$163 CA$224

-50.24%

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

$9.63 COP 34.8K

$45.14 CA$61.8

-78.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.36 COP 88.0K

$63.6 CA$87.1

-61.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.02 COP 93.9K

$41.94 CA$57.5

-37.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 COP 68.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 COP 14.0K

$10.66 CA$14.60

-63.51%

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

$304 COP 1.1M

$444 CA$609

-31.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,902 COP 21.3M

$4,116 CA$5,639

43.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 211.8K

$60.8 CA$83.3

-3.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.48 COP 117.2K

$39.10 CA$53.6

-16.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 367.3K

$81.8 CA$112

24.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 390.4K

$78.4 CA$107

37.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 COP 1.7M

$1,313 CA$1,798

-63.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$1,169 CA$1,601

-68.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$848 COP 3.1M

$2,028 CA$2,778

-58.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$1,823 CA$2,497

-60.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,871 COP 10.4M

$4,275 CA$5,856

-32.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,375 COP 5.0M

$3,225 CA$4,419

-57.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$542 COP 2.0M

$1,096 CA$1,501

-50.57%

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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Armstrong: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $474 in Medellin and $1,313 in Armstrong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Armstrong pays 102% 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: $33 in Medellin vs $71 in Armstrong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $375 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 140% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Armstrong earns 102% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $474 in Medellin versus $1,313 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 $304 in Medellin versus $444 in Armstrong. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,014 in Medellin versus $2,433 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 140% less than in Armstrong. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.