Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Fort Saskatchewan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Fort Saskatchewan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $2,373 in Fort Saskatchewan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $3,502 in Fort Saskatchewan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $4,632 in Fort Saskatchewan.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 57% less than in Fort Saskatchewan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% below, Fort Saskatchewan is 78% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Fort Saskatchewan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.16 COP 20.1K
$16.92 CA$23.72
-63.59%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.60 COP 106.1K
$69.6 CA$97.6
-53.18%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.34 COP 23.9K
$10.92 CA$15.31
-32.78%
Cappuccino
$1.72 COP 5,600
$3.95 CA$5.53
-56.46%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.05 COP 3,420
$3.26 CA$4.58
-67.79%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.77 COP 2,515
$2.65 CA$3.71
-70.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.69 COP 5,488
$8.32 CA$11.66
-79.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.17 COP 10.3K
$9.59 CA$13.45
-66.94%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Fort Saskatchewan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.05 COP 3,423
$2.70 CA$3.78
-61.11%
White Bread (500g)
$1.30 COP 4,236
$3.22 CA$4.51
-59.63%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.40 COP 4,544
$3.62 CA$5.07
-61.33%
Eggs
$2.16 COP 7,047
$3.73 CA$5.23
-42.09%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.39 COP 14.3K
$15.55 CA$21.80
-71.77%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.88 COP 19.1K
$14.02 CA$19.66
-58.06%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.64 COP 28.1K
$21.71 CA$30.43
-60.20%
Apples (1kg)
$2.28 COP 7,426
$3.49 CA$4.90
-34.67%
Banana (1kg)
$1.11 COP 3,604
$1.87 CA$2.62
-40.64%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,983
$3.60 CA$5.05
-57.50%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.35 COP 4,410
$3.79 CA$5.31
-64.38%
Potato (1kg)
$1.13 COP 3,674
$2.47 CA$3.47
-54.25%
Onion (1kg)
$1.13 COP 3,692
$2.49 CA$3.49
-54.62%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.85 COP 2,753
$2.59 CA$3.63
-67.18%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91 COP 2,975
$1.78 CA$2.49
-48.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.34 COP 7,630
$16.75 CA$23.49
-86.03%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.37 COP 40.3K
$12.21 CA$17.12
1.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 COP 3,909
$2.91 CA$4.08
-58.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49 COP 8,104
$3.01 CA$4.22
-17.28%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Fort Saskatchewan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.84 COP 2,728
$2.41 CA$3.38
-65.15%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$40.57 COP 132.1K
$62.4 CA$87.5
-35.02%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.42 COP 4,623
$3.15 CA$4.41
-54.92%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.92 COP 6,235
$1.48 CA$2.07
29.73%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.66 COP 24.9K
$25.95 CA$36.38
-70.48%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.99 COP 3,223
$0.98 CA$1.37
1.02%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.0K COP 58.7M
$25.0K CA$35.1K
-27.96%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6K COP 86.7M
$20.4K CA$28.7K
30.24%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Fort Saskatchewan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$80.8 COP 263.1K
$120 CA$168
-32.55%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.95 COP 32.4K
$43.93 CA$61.6
-77.35%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.18 COP 78.7K
$62.8 CA$88.1
-61.51%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Fort Saskatchewan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.08 COP 81.7K
$42.47 CA$59.6
-40.95%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.15 COP 62.3K
$18.27 CA$25.61
4.82%
Cinema Ticket
$3.98 COP 13.0K
$9.74 CA$13.66
-59.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Fort Saskatchewan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$305 COP 993.5K
$750 CA$1,052
-59.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,059 COP 19.7M
$11.8K CA$16.5K
-48.52%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Fort Saskatchewan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.1 COP 189.2K
$66.3 CA$93.0
-12.34%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.20 COP 104.8K
$38.84 CA$54.5
-17.10%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 COP 327.9K
$87.9 CA$123
14.58%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 COP 350.8K
$108 CA$151
-0.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Fort Saskatchewan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$477 COP 1.6M
$1,294 CA$1,814
-63.17%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$376 COP 1.2M
$1,199 CA$1,681
-68.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$845 COP 2.7M
$2,016 CA$2,826
-58.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$730 COP 2.4M
$1,807 CA$2,533
-59.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,215 COP 10.5M
$4,530 CA$6,351
-29.02%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,372 COP 4.5M
$3,305 CA$4,633
-58.48%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Fort Saskatchewan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$617 COP 2.0M
$3,132 CA$4,391
-80.31%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.43
7.18
87.05%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Fort Saskatchewan: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $1,294 in Fort Saskatchewan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort Saskatchewan pays 408% 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 Fort Saskatchewan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $422 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 Fort Saskatchewan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Medellin and in Fort Saskatchewan?
Medellin and Fort Saskatchewan differ by about 130% in total monthly costs ($1,031 vs $2,373 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 408% lower in Fort Saskatchewan. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Medellin and in Fort Saskatchewan?
Rent for a central apartment: $477 in Medellin versus $1,294 in Fort Saskatchewan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Medellin and Fort Saskatchewan?
Childcare runs $305 in Medellin versus $750 in Fort Saskatchewan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 118% higher in Fort Saskatchewan. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,031 in Medellin versus $2,373 in Fort Saskatchewan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Fort Saskatchewan. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Medellin and Fort Saskatchewan?
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.
Where should expats move: Medellin or Fort Saskatchewan?
Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 130% less than in Fort Saskatchewan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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