Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Duncan BC Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Duncan BC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $2,354 in Duncan BC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $3,584 in Duncan BC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $4,813 in Duncan BC.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 57% less than in Duncan BC, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 24% below, Duncan BC is 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.3K

$18.54 CA$25.78

-67.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 116.9K

$69.5 CA$96.7

-52.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.2K

$11.24 CA$15.63

-36.92%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,093

$4.14 CA$5.76

-58.70%

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

$1.10 COP 3,910

$2.04 CA$2.83

-46.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,771

$1.81 CA$2.52

-56.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,976

$5.10 CA$7.09

-67.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$6.12 CA$8.51

-49.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,892

$1.53 CA$2.13

-28.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,492

$2.61 CA$3.63

-51.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,905

$5.36 CA$7.46

-74.25%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,799

$3.53 CA$4.91

-37.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$10.25 CA$14.26

-57.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.0K

$12.06 CA$16.77

-53.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.6K

$14.91 CA$20.74

-40.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,319

$3.34 CA$4.64

-29.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,764

$1.29 CA$1.80

-17.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,355

$3.00 CA$4.18

-50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,906

$3.44 CA$4.79

-59.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,097

$2.38 CA$3.31

-51.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,141

$2.02 CA$2.82

-42.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,170

$2.37 CA$3.29

-62.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,986

$1.75 CA$2.44

-52.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,116

$14.34 CA$19.94

-84.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$12.01 CA$16.71

-11.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,268

$3.84 CA$5.34

-68.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,793

$3.96 CA$5.50

-37.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,045

$1.98 CA$2.75

-56.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

$76.5 CA$106

-45.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,245

$2.81 CA$3.91

-47.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,984

$1.50 CA$2.09

30.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.5K

$29.01 CA$40.35

-73.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,397

$1.35 CA$1.88

-29.63%

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

$18.1K COP 64.5M

$23.3K CA$32.4K

-22.20%

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

$26.5K COP 94.2M

$20.7K CA$28.7K

28.12%

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

$82.3 COP 292.7K

$158 CA$220

-47.92%

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

$9.50 COP 33.8K

$41.92 CA$58.3

-77.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.2K

$66.9 CA$93.0

-63.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.1K

$64.1 CA$89.2

-59.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$12.72 CA$17.69

-69.10%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$920 CA$1,279

-66.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.2M

$10.7K CA$14.9K

-44.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 208.7K

$56.5 CA$78.5

3.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.1K

$51.3 CA$71.4

-36.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.1K

$99.1 CA$138

3.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 385.8K

$96.1 CA$134

12.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$1,280 CA$1,781

-62.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$1,154 CA$1,605

-67.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$2,411 CA$3,353

-65.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$2,216 CA$3,082

-67.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$4,387 CA$6,101

-36.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$3,646 CA$5,071

-66.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$3,217 CA$4,474

-84.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.54

105.35%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Duncan BC: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $1,280 in Duncan BC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Duncan BC pays 529% 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 Duncan BC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $359 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 Duncan BC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 132% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Duncan BC earns 529% 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 $1,280 in Duncan BC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 91% higher in Duncan BC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $70.0 in Duncan BC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $2,354 in Duncan BC, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Duncan BC. 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 Duncan BC, 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 132% less than in Duncan BC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.