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: $1,018 in Medellin versus $2,432 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,609 in Medellin versus $3,624 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,200 in Medellin versus $4,816 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 24% below, Calgary is 82% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 COP 19.1K

$18.52 CA$26.12

-67.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.12 COP 106.4K

$70.6 CA$99.6

-53.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.9K

$11.03 CA$15.55

-35.45%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 5,480

$3.88 CA$5.48

-55.93%

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

$1.05 COP 3,370

$1.97 CA$2.79

-46.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,321

$1.66 CA$2.34

-56.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,524

$5.19 CA$7.32

-66.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$6.58 CA$9.28

-51.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,422

$2.21 CA$3.11

-52.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,209

$2.67 CA$3.77

-50.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,273

$3.35 CA$4.72

-60.30%

Eggs

$2.28 COP 7,328

$3.39 CA$4.78

-32.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 COP 14.2K

$14.59 CA$20.58

-69.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 COP 19.0K

$12.95 CA$18.27

-54.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.8K

$15.84 CA$22.34

-45.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 7,535

$4.30 CA$6.07

-45.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,541

$1.30 CA$1.84

-15.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,718

$3.88 CA$5.47

-62.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,433

$4.22 CA$5.96

-67.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,769

$2.55 CA$3.60

-54.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,760

$2.72 CA$3.84

-56.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,902

$2.74 CA$3.87

-67.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,704

$1.93 CA$2.73

-56.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,480

$15.00 CA$21.15

-84.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.3K

$14.67 CA$20.69

-18.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,688

$2.89 CA$4.07

-60.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,780

$4.03 CA$5.68

-39.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,698

$2.79 CA$3.94

-69.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 131.2K

$85.7 CA$121

-52.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,535

$3.59 CA$5.06

-60.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,152

$1.35 CA$1.91

41.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.1K

$28.84 CA$40.68

-72.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,033

$1.08 CA$1.53

-12.96%

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

$17.8K COP 57.3M

$25.4K CA$35.8K

-29.84%

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

$27.1K COP 87.0M

$21.7K CA$30.6K

24.93%

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

$83.3 COP 267.5K

$216 CA$304

-61.37%

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

$9.66 COP 31.0K

$41.66 CA$58.8

-76.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 COP 77.8K

$58.7 CA$82.8

-58.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 81.1K

$53.6 CA$75.6

-52.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 62.1K

$52.1 CA$73.5

-62.90%

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 13.1K

$12.72 CA$17.95

-68.00%

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

$307 COP 985.2K

$885 CA$1,248

-65.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.2M

$15.8K CA$22.3K

-62.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 192.6K

$57.9 CA$81.7

3.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 COP 104.9K

$47.31 CA$66.7

-30.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 324.8K

$88.3 CA$124

14.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 347.2K

$107 CA$151

0.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

$1,368 CA$1,929

-65.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

$1,181 CA$1,666

-67.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

$2,364 CA$3,335

-65.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

$1,872 CA$2,641

-62.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.2M

$3,737 CA$5,270

-14.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.6M

$3,424 CA$4,829

-57.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

$2,999 CA$4,229

-79.27%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Calgary: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $1,368 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 382% 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 $71.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $192 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 139% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 382% lower in Calgary. 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 $1,368 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 $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,018 per month in Medellin versus $2,432 in Calgary – a 139% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,018 in Medellin versus $2,432 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 139% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.