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: $1,013 in Medellin versus $2,523 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $3,652 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $4,780 in Calgary.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 60% less than in Calgary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 24% below, Calgary is 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.5K

$18.59 CA$25.91

-67.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 118.1K

$70.0 CA$97.6

-53.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.5K

$10.96 CA$15.27

-35.31%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,155

$3.73 CA$5.20

-54.16%

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

$1.10 COP 3,950

$1.99 CA$2.77

-44.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,799

$1.72 CA$2.40

-54.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 6,037

$5.01 CA$6.99

-66.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$6.50 CA$9.06

-52.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,931

$2.22 CA$3.10

-50.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,537

$2.67 CA$3.72

-52.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,955

$3.26 CA$4.55

-57.67%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,878

$3.35 CA$4.67

-34.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.8K

$14.50 CA$20.21

-69.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.2K

$12.95 CA$18.04

-56.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 32.0K

$16.15 CA$22.51

-44.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,403

$4.32 CA$6.02

-45.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,802

$1.35 CA$1.89

-21.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,409

$3.83 CA$5.33

-60.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,956

$4.18 CA$5.83

-66.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,138

$2.65 CA$3.69

-56.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,183

$2.74 CA$3.82

-57.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,203

$2.76 CA$3.85

-67.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 3,016

$1.95 CA$2.72

-56.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,198

$14.98 CA$20.88

-84.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.3K

$14.67 CA$20.45

-27.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,312

$2.84 CA$3.96

-57.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,882

$4.02 CA$5.60

-38.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,076

$2.80 CA$3.90

-69.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 148.8K

$86.2 CA$120

-51.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,298

$3.60 CA$5.02

-59.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,055

$1.32 CA$1.84

48.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.8K

$29.01 CA$40.43

-73.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,431

$1.12 CA$1.56

-15.18%

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

$18.1K COP 65.2M

$24.9K CA$34.6K

-27.06%

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

$26.5K COP 95.2M

$22.0K CA$30.6K

20.51%

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

$82.3 COP 295.7K

$217 CA$303

-62.13%

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

$9.50 COP 34.2K

$41.55 CA$57.9

-77.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 87.1K

$58.1 CA$80.9

-58.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 93.0K

$54.7 CA$76.3

-52.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 68.3K

$52.8 CA$73.6

-64.03%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.1K

$12.77 CA$17.79

-69.22%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$874 CA$1,218

-64.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.4M

$15.9K CA$22.2K

-62.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 210.8K

$58.8 CA$82.0

-0.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 116.3K

$46.47 CA$64.8

-30.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 368.8K

$87.2 CA$121

17.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 389.7K

$109 CA$152

-0.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$1,414 CA$1,970

-66.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$1,172 CA$1,634

-67.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$2,319 CA$3,232

-63.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$1,886 CA$2,629

-61.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$3,892 CA$5,424

-28.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.4M

$3,503 CA$4,882

-65.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$3,149 CA$4,389

-83.75%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Calgary: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $1,414 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 515% 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 $70.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $397 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, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 149% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Calgary earns 515% 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: $476 in Medellin versus $1,414 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 $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $2,523 in Calgary – a 149% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $2,523 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 149% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.