Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Barrie Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Barrie

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $2,663 in Barrie.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $3,732 in Barrie.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $4,800 in Barrie.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 61% less than in Barrie, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% below, Barrie is 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$14.58 CA$19.97

-59.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$73.3 CA$100

-55.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$10.28 CA$14.09

-29.96%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$3.46 CA$4.74

-50.87%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.88 CA$2.58

-41.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$1.17 CA$1.61

-38.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$6.37 CA$8.72

-73.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$6.07 CA$8.31

-48.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$2.72 CA$3.73

-61.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$2.95 CA$4.04

-57.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$3.99 CA$5.46

-65.16%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$3.06 CA$4.19

-26.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$8.76 CA$12.00

-50.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$14.60 CA$20.00

-60.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$24.62 CA$33.73

-64.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$3.73 CA$5.11

-39.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.27 CA$1.74

-14.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$3.05 CA$4.17

-49.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$5.15 CA$7.05

-73.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.75 CA$2.40

-35.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$3.77 CA$5.16

-70.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$2.82 CA$3.86

-69.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.68 CA$2.31

-45.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$11.63 CA$15.93

-79.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$10.79 CA$14.78

3.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.42 CA$3.31

-50.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.30 CA$3.15

3.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$2.55 CA$3.49

-69.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$66.5 CA$91.1

-38.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$2.89 CA$3.96

-50.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$2.05 CA$2.81

-6.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$26.21 CA$35.90

-69.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.14 CA$1.56

-17.54%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$24.9K CA$34.1K

-27.91%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$20.2K CA$27.7K

32.68%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$194 CA$266

-56.69%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$42.42 CA$58.1

-77.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$76.8 CA$105

-68.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$36.11 CA$49.48

-28.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$36.65 CA$50.2

-48.05%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$13.38 CA$18.34

-70.70%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$1,500 CA$2,055

-79.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$11.7K CA$16.1K

-49.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$71.5 CA$97.9

-18.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$56.5 CA$77.4

-43.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$147 CA$201

-31.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$113 CA$155

-5.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$1,415 CA$1,939

-65.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$1,306 CA$1,789

-71.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$2,206 CA$3,023

-62.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$1,841 CA$2,522

-61.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$5,184 CA$7,102

-43.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$4,476 CA$6,132

-68.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$3,181 CA$4,358

-82.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.63

102.56%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Barrie: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $1,415 in Barrie. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barrie pays 483% 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $73.0 in Barrie for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $405 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 Barrie: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Barrie differ by about 158% in total monthly costs ($1,034 vs $2,663 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Barrie earns 483% 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: $487 in Medellin versus $1,415 in Barrie. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 62% less than in Barrie. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $306 in Medellin versus $1,500 in Barrie. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $2,663 in Barrie, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Barrie. 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 158% less than in Barrie. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.