Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cold Lake Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cold Lake

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $1,932 in Cold Lake, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $2,895 in Cold Lake, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $3,859 in Cold Lake, rent included.

Medellin is about 11% cheaper than Cold Lake, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Cold Lake sit above the global median – Medellin by 25%, Cold Lake by 41%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.3K

$20.15 CA$27.90

-60.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 152.0K

$59.8 CA$82.8

-19.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.8K

$10.06 CA$13.93

-2.88%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,167

$3.87 CA$5.36

-24.81%

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

$1.94 COP 6,122

$2.22 CA$3.07

-12.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,792

$1.41 CA$1.95

7.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,740

$5.72 CA$7.91

-45.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

$6.63 CA$9.18

-13.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,296

$1.16 CA$1.60

17.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,519

$2.26 CA$3.13

5.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,356

$3.05 CA$4.23

-44.26%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,038

$3.16 CA$4.37

-9.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.3K

$11.18 CA$15.48

-11.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 34.0K

$11.68 CA$16.17

-7.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.4K

$18.75 CA$25.95

-21.44%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.9K

$3.57 CA$4.94

14.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,950

$1.13 CA$1.56

38.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,695

$2.86 CA$3.96

-25.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,972

$2.62 CA$3.63

-15.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,447

$2.24 CA$3.10

-8.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,737

$1.05 CA$1.46

42.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,747

$2.49 CA$3.45

-52.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,647

$1.84 CA$2.54

-36.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$12.01 CA$16.63

-67.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.5K

$11.71 CA$16.22

23.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,987

$3.57 CA$4.94

-55.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,905

$3.02 CA$4.18

-6.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,679

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,045

$3.03 CA$4.20

-57.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,589

$1.42 CA$1.97

47.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

$21.96 CA$30.40

-60.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,088

$1.04 CA$1.44

25.00%

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

$27.7K COP 87.1M

$28.3K CA$39.1K

-2.12%

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

$35.5K COP 111.8M

$20.1K CA$27.8K

76.70%

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

$176 COP 554.5K

$231 CA$320

-23.88%

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

$13.37 COP 42.1K

$41.34 CA$57.2

-67.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.1K

$55.6 CA$77.0

-46.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 141.0K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.7K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

$13.37 CA$18.51

-53.63%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$777 CA$1,076

2.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

$9,577 CA$13.3K

-5.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.6K

$29.08 CA$40.27

194.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 184.1K

$35.70 CA$49.43

63.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 429.3K

$54.6 CA$75.7

149.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.7K

$91.5 CA$127

12.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$898 CA$1,244

17.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$861 CA$1,192

-21.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$1,583 CA$2,192

27.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$1,454 CA$2,013

-19.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$3,099 CA$4,291

-78.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.32

153.24%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Cold Lake: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $898 in Cold Lake. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 366% higher in Cold Lake, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $60.0 in Cold Lake. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $344 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Cold Lake: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cold Lake is pricier by about 13%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $2,897 in Cold Lake. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,716 in Medellin and $1,932 in Cold Lake. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $793 per month in Medellin and $777 in Cold Lake. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,716, than in Cold Lake at $1,932. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cold Lake it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cold Lake makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.