Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cambridge Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cambridge Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $2,408 in Cambridge Bay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $3,458 in Cambridge Bay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $4,508 in Cambridge Bay.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 58% less than in Cambridge Bay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 25% below, Cambridge Bay is 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$23.76 CA$33.35

-75.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$70.2 CA$98.5

-53.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$11.09 CA$15.57

-33.00%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$3.76 CA$5.27

-56.12%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$1.99 CA$2.79

-44.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$1.70 CA$2.39

-54.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$5.44 CA$7.63

-68.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$5.99 CA$8.41

-46.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$2.10 CA$2.95

-47.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$2.71 CA$3.80

-53.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$3.51 CA$4.92

-60.68%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$3.51 CA$4.93

-37.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$11.35 CA$15.93

-60.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$11.82 CA$16.59

-51.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$14.89 CA$20.90

-39.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$3.96 CA$5.56

-41.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$1.41 CA$1.99

-24.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$3.76 CA$5.27

-59.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$3.83 CA$5.38

-64.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$2.46 CA$3.46

-54.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$2.54 CA$3.57

-53.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$2.52 CA$3.54

-64.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$1.77 CA$2.48

-49.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$13.70 CA$19.23

-83.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$12.42 CA$17.44

-2.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$2.89 CA$4.05

-58.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$3.06 CA$4.29

-18.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$2.43 CA$3.42

-65.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

$61.6 CA$86.5

-32.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$3.19 CA$4.48

-55.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$1.45 CA$2.03

34.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$26.20 CA$36.78

-69.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$1.12 CA$1.57

-11.61%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$24.7K CA$34.6K

-28.65%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$20.2K CA$28.4K

32.54%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$141 CA$198

-41.12%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$43.14 CA$60.6

-77.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$63.2 CA$88.7

-62.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$42.42 CA$59.5

-40.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$11.26 CA$15.80

-64.92%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$738 CA$1,036

-57.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$11.9K CA$16.7K

-49.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$53.3 CA$74.8

12.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$38.86 CA$54.5

-18.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$85.3 CA$120

19.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$109 CA$153

-1.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$1,288 CA$1,808

-63.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$1,174 CA$1,648

-68.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$1,995 CA$2,801

-57.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$1,785 CA$2,506

-59.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

$3,699 CA$5,191

-11.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

$3,096 CA$4,345

-53.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.46

107.89%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Cambridge Bay: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $1,288 in Cambridge Bay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $70.0 in Cambridge Bay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $366 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 Cambridge Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Cambridge Bay differ by about 140% in total monthly costs ($1,003 vs $2,408 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,504 in Medellin and $3,613 in Cambridge Bay to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $475 in Medellin versus $1,288 in Cambridge Bay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $2,408 in Cambridge Bay – a 140% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 48% less than in Cambridge Bay. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $2,408 in Cambridge Bay, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Cambridge Bay. 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 140% less than in Cambridge Bay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.