Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Arviat Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Arviat

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $2,363 in Arviat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $3,354 in Arviat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $4,345 in Arviat.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 58% less than in Arviat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 25% below, Arviat is 78% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.4K

$16.98 CA$23.78

-65.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 102.7K

$69.2 CA$97.0

-52.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.1K

$11.02 CA$15.43

-32.58%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,153

$3.84 CA$5.38

-57.03%

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

$1.10 COP 3,432

$1.96 CA$2.75

-43.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,433

$1.67 CA$2.34

-53.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,356

$5.42 CA$7.60

-68.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 9,904

$5.74 CA$8.04

-44.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,439

$2.12 CA$2.97

-48.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,921

$2.65 CA$3.71

-52.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,304

$3.52 CA$4.94

-60.80%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,788

$3.53 CA$4.94

-38.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.0K

$11.31 CA$15.85

-60.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.0K

$11.87 CA$16.63

-51.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 27.9K

$14.77 CA$20.69

-39.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,232

$4.12 CA$5.77

-43.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,318

$1.36 CA$1.91

-22.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,725

$3.78 CA$5.29

-59.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,226

$3.79 CA$5.31

-64.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,515

$2.39 CA$3.34

-52.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$2.46 CA$3.44

-52.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,809

$2.60 CA$3.64

-65.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,794

$1.73 CA$2.42

-47.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 6,961

$13.78 CA$19.30

-83.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 37.8K

$13.36 CA$18.72

-9.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,704

$2.93 CA$4.10

-59.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,735

$3.11 CA$4.36

-20.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,660

$2.31 CA$3.23

-63.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 129.7K

$63.9 CA$89.6

-34.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,413

$3.20 CA$4.48

-55.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,078

$1.48 CA$2.07

31.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.6K

$25.34 CA$35.50

-68.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,086

$1.15 CA$1.61

-13.91%

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

$17.6K COP 54.8M

$24.9K CA$34.8K

-29.18%

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

$26.8K COP 83.5M

$21.0K CA$29.4K

27.64%

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

$83.0 COP 258.7K

$141 CA$198

-41.24%

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

$9.70 COP 30.2K

$43.10 CA$60.4

-77.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 73.3K

$62.7 CA$87.8

-62.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 78.7K

$42.43 CA$59.5

-40.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 59.5K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.3K

$11.26 CA$15.77

-64.92%

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

$316 COP 984.0K

$734 CA$1,028

-56.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.6M

$11.8K CA$16.5K

-49.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 187.0K

$54.6 CA$76.5

9.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 99.1K

$39.90 CA$55.9

-20.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 316.8K

$87.7 CA$123

15.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 334.8K

$106 CA$149

1.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$1,336 CA$1,872

-64.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$1,196 CA$1,675

-68.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.6M

$1,983 CA$2,778

-57.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.2M

$1,839 CA$2,576

-60.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.2M

$4,400 CA$6,165

-25.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$3,243 CA$4,543

-55.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.46

107.89%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Arviat: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $1,336 in Arviat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $69.0 in Arviat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $367 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 Arviat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Arviat differ by about 136% in total monthly costs ($1,003 vs $2,363 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,504 in Medellin and $3,545 in Arviat 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 $1,336 in Arviat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $316 in Medellin versus $734 in Arviat. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 90% higher in Arviat. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $2,363 in Arviat, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Arviat. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 136% less than in Arviat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.