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: $1,681 in Medellin versus $2,544 in Barrie.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $3,542 in Barrie.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $4,540 in Barrie.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 34% less than in Barrie, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 23% above, Barrie 86% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$14.68 CA$20.53

-45.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$57.0 CA$79.7

-16.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$11.35 CA$15.88

-12.86%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$3.74 CA$5.23

-16.31%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.94 CA$2.71

-1.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$1.44 CA$2.02

4.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$5.16 CA$7.21

-39.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$5.63 CA$7.87

2.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$2.10 CA$2.93

-31.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$2.58 CA$3.61

-3.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$2.69 CA$3.76

-34.20%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$3.13 CA$4.38

-5.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$10.10 CA$14.13

-0.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$14.64 CA$20.48

-30.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$22.79 CA$31.89

-37.25%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$4.03 CA$5.64

2.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.19 CA$1.67

35.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$3.20 CA$4.47

-29.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$4.04 CA$5.65

-44.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.12 CA$1.56

82.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.36 CA$1.91

13.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$2.22 CA$3.11

-47.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$1.72 CA$2.41

-23.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$11.60 CA$16.23

-66.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$10.28 CA$14.38

36.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$2.50 CA$3.50

-30.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.21 CA$3.09

29.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$2.49 CA$3.49

-51.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$64.8 CA$90.6

24.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$3.57 CA$5.00

-63.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$1.09 CA$1.53

100.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.08 CA$1.51

26.85%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$29.0K CA$40.6K

-4.13%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$21.4K CA$29.9K

67.47%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$236 CA$330

-24.79%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$36.33 CA$50.8

-61.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$78.4 CA$110

-62.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$41.15 CA$57.6

9.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$35.41 CA$49.53

-51.65%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$12.89 CA$18.03

-48.41%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$1,456 CA$2,037

-44.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$63.9 CA$89.4

40.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$45.65 CA$63.9

29.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$151 CA$211

-8.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$85.0 CA$119

20.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$1,458 CA$2,039

-27.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$1,285 CA$1,798

-48.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$2,092 CA$2,926

-9.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$1,771 CA$2,478

-42.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$5,084 CA$7,112

-17.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$4,301 CA$6,017

-61.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$3,093 CA$4,326

-78.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.68

133.76%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Barrie: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $1,458 in Barrie. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barrie pays 356% 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: $48.00 in Medellin vs $57.0 in Barrie for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 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 Barrie: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Barrie differ by about 51% in total monthly costs ($1,681 vs $2,544 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 356% lower in Barrie. 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: $1,062 in Medellin versus $1,458 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 24% less than in Barrie. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $813 in Medellin versus $1,456 in Barrie. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,681 in Medellin versus $2,544 in Barrie, a $2,500 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 51% less than in Barrie. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.