Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Dawson City Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Dawson City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,989 in Dawson City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $3,409 in Dawson City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $4,829 in Dawson City, rent included.

Medellin is about 48% cheaper than Dawson City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Dawson City is 49% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$26.15 CA$36.79

-76.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$107 CA$150

-69.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$10.99 CA$15.46

-33.21%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$4.11 CA$5.79

-58.15%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.81 CA$2.54

-41.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$1.72 CA$2.42

-55.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$5.60 CA$7.88

-69.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$5.97 CA$8.41

-46.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.83 CA$3.98

-62.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$4.32 CA$6.08

-69.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$3.50 CA$4.92

-60.00%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$5.23 CA$7.36

-58.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$11.33 CA$15.94

-61.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$15.37 CA$21.63

-61.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$14.72 CA$20.72

-41.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$4.33 CA$6.09

-47.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.40 CA$1.98

-20.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$4.17 CA$5.86

-63.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$4.32 CA$6.08

-68.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.42 CA$3.41

-53.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.59 CA$3.65

-56.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$2.63 CA$3.70

-67.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.72 CA$2.42

-47.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$13.81 CA$19.43

-83.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$12.34 CA$17.37

0.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.82 CA$3.97

-57.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$3.14 CA$4.42

-20.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$2.32 CA$3.26

-63.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$63.8 CA$89.8

-36.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$3.09 CA$4.34

-54.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.48 CA$2.08

29.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$26.17 CA$36.83

-70.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.16 CA$1.64

-14.66%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$24.7K CA$34.8K

-27.13%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$21.0K CA$29.5K

26.96%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$145 CA$205

-44.40%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$43.44 CA$61.1

-77.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$62.2 CA$87.6

-61.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$42.63 CA$60.0

-41.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$11.62 CA$16.35

-65.75%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$727 CA$1,024

-58.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$11.8K CA$16.6K

-48.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$66.0 CA$92.8

-11.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$39.26 CA$55.2

-17.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$71.2 CA$100

41.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$107 CA$150

1.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$1,295 CA$1,822

-63.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$692 CA$974

-45.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$2,046 CA$2,879

-58.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$1,811 CA$2,548

-59.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$4,547 CA$6,398

-29.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$4,122 CA$5,800

-66.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$2,840 CA$3,996

-78.28%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Dawson City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $1,295 in Dawson City. 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 360% higher in Dawson City, 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $107 in Dawson City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $418 – 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 Dawson City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Dawson City is pricier by about 93%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $2,983 in Dawson City. 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.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Medellin and $727 in Dawson City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 117% more in Dawson City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Dawson City at $1,989. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dawson City 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, Dawson City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.