Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Joliette Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Joliette

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $1,639 in Joliette, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $2,554 in Joliette, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $3,469 in Joliette, rent included.

Medellin and Joliette have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Medellin and Joliette sit above the global median – Medellin by 19%, Joliette by 19%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$17.90 CA$24.82

-55.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$54.9 CA$76.2

-12.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$11.35 CA$15.75

-17.00%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$2.48 CA$3.44

18.55%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$2.09 CA$2.89

-11.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$1.49 CA$2.07

-2.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$4.35 CA$6.04

-26.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$5.61 CA$7.78

1.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$2.01 CA$2.79

-28.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$2.49 CA$3.46

-3.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$4.08 CA$5.66

-58.33%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$2.56 CA$3.55

12.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$8.84 CA$12.26

13.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$10.82 CA$15.00

-7.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$10.88 CA$15.08

30.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$4.30 CA$5.97

-7.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.54 CA$2.14

2.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$3.75 CA$5.20

-42.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$4.16 CA$5.77

-44.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$2.88 CA$4.00

-30.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$2.96 CA$4.11

-48.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$1.71 CA$2.37

-29.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$1.54 CA$2.14

-16.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$14.92 CA$20.69

-74.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$11.34 CA$15.73

23.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$2.92 CA$4.05

-41.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$3.37 CA$4.67

-18.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$2.38 CA$3.30

-47.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$62.7 CA$86.9

24.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$2.90 CA$4.02

-54.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$1.46 CA$2.02

48.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$35.66 CA$49.46

-76.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$0.94 CA$1.31

44.68%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$28.5K CA$39.5K

-3.45%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$21.1K CA$29.3K

72.93%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$101 CA$140

67.03%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$32.69 CA$45.34

-58.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$46.26 CA$64.2

-38.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$40.98 CA$56.8

11.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$18.60 CA$25.79

-7.42%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$11.20 CA$15.54

-40.62%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$694 CA$962

15.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$9,651 CA$13.4K

-4.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$51.0 CA$70.8

71.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$40.04 CA$55.5

48.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$85.9 CA$119

61.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$106 CA$147

-4.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$657 CA$912

62.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$612 CA$848

6.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$1,313 CA$1,821

46.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$1,096 CA$1,520

-4.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$4,289 CA$5,949

-3.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$3,708 CA$5,142

-54.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$2,801 CA$3,885

-76.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.45

145.84%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Joliette: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $657 in Joliette. 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 328% higher in Joliette. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $55.0 in Joliette. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $335 – 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 Joliette: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $2,458 in Joliette. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $55.0 in Joliette. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 24% less in Joliette. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Joliette, where all-in costs run around $1,639, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Joliette it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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