Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Calgary Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Calgary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,030 in Medellin versus $2,475 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,586 in Medellin versus $3,595 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $4,715 in Calgary.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% below, Calgary is 85% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.3K

$18.25 CA$25.00

-67.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 COP 119.5K

$70.0 CA$95.9

-52.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 COP 26.1K

$11.12 CA$15.24

-34.80%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,176

$3.82 CA$5.23

-55.24%

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

$1.09 COP 3,940

$1.96 CA$2.69

-44.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,760

$1.65 CA$2.27

-53.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 COP 6,294

$5.07 CA$6.95

-65.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 11.5K

$6.56 CA$8.98

-51.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,816

$2.16 CA$2.96

-50.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,687

$2.71 CA$3.72

-52.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,958

$3.30 CA$4.53

-58.18%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,958

$3.40 CA$4.66

-35.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 COP 16.3K

$14.42 CA$19.76

-68.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.9K

$12.70 CA$17.40

-54.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 32.3K

$16.11 CA$22.07

-44.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 COP 8,235

$4.42 CA$6.06

-48.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,815

$1.30 CA$1.78

-18.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 5,446

$3.87 CA$5.30

-60.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,900

$4.43 CA$6.07

-69.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,172

$2.56 CA$3.51

-54.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,201

$2.58 CA$3.54

-54.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,979

$2.71 CA$3.71

-69.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 3,063

$1.88 CA$2.58

-54.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,477

$14.46 CA$19.81

-83.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 COP 39.9K

$14.47 CA$19.83

-23.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,159

$2.80 CA$3.83

-58.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,910

$3.97 CA$5.44

-37.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,845

$2.72 CA$3.73

-70.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 150.7K

$85.4 CA$117

-51.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,173

$3.41 CA$4.67

-57.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,836

$1.36 CA$1.86

39.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 COP 27.7K

$29.18 CA$39.97

-73.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,704

$1.09 CA$1.49

-5.50%

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

$17.7K COP 63.7M

$24.6K CA$33.7K

-28.17%

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

$27.0K COP 97.3M

$21.8K CA$29.8K

24.14%

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

$81.4 COP 293.2K

$211 CA$289

-61.37%

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

$9.42 COP 33.9K

$41.13 CA$56.4

-77.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.77 COP 85.6K

$58.3 CA$79.9

-59.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 93.2K

$53.8 CA$73.7

-51.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.7K

$52.9 CA$72.4

-63.41%

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 14.6K

$12.68 CA$17.37

-68.06%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$875 CA$1,199

-64.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,067 COP 21.9M

$16.0K CA$21.9K

-62.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 212.0K

$58.1 CA$79.5

1.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 118.2K

$47.11 CA$64.5

-30.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 361.9K

$87.7 CA$120

14.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 382.8K

$107 CA$146

-0.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.8M

$1,416 CA$1,940

-65.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$1,171 CA$1,604

-68.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$2,288 CA$3,135

-63.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

$1,841 CA$2,523

-61.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

$3,718 CA$5,093

-20.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

$3,594 CA$4,924

-61.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

$3,131 CA$4,289

-83.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.71

135.20%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Last update for Calgary: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Medellin and $1,416 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 488% 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 $70 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $395 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 Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 140% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Calgary earns 488% 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: $490 in Medellin versus $1,416 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,030 per month in Medellin versus $2,475 in Calgary – a 140% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,030 in Medellin versus $2,475 in Calgary, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Calgary. 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 Calgary, 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 Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.