Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kelowna Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kelowna

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $2,460 in Kelowna.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $3,617 in Kelowna.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $4,774 in Kelowna.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 59% less than in Kelowna, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 24% below, Kelowna is 84% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$18.26 CA$25.37

-67.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$66.9 CA$93.0

-50.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$11.17 CA$15.52

-36.53%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$4.38 CA$6.08

-60.96%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$2.18 CA$3.03

-49.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$1.73 CA$2.40

-54.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$5.98 CA$8.31

-71.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$6.11 CA$8.49

-49.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.97 CA$2.73

-44.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$3.19 CA$4.44

-60.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$3.15 CA$4.38

-56.19%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$3.86 CA$5.37

-43.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$11.10 CA$15.42

-60.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$14.87 CA$20.66

-62.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$19.87 CA$27.60

-55.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$3.73 CA$5.19

-37.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.41 CA$1.96

-24.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$3.77 CA$5.24

-60.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$4.04 CA$5.61

-65.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$2.59 CA$3.59

-55.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$2.93 CA$4.07

-60.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$2.72 CA$3.78

-67.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$1.79 CA$2.48

-53.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$15.02 CA$20.86

-84.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$13.79 CA$19.15

-22.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$2.46 CA$3.42

-51.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$3.11 CA$4.33

-20.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$1.89 CA$2.63

-54.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$50.7 CA$70.5

-18.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$3.04 CA$4.22

-51.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$1.69 CA$2.35

15.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$35.11 CA$48.78

-77.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.26 CA$1.74

-24.60%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$24.9K CA$34.6K

-27.17%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$20.1K CA$27.9K

32.07%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$141 CA$196

-41.65%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$52.4 CA$72.8

-81.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$66.9 CA$93.0

-63.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$44.18 CA$61.4

-41.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$31.88 CA$44.30

-40.40%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$11.64 CA$16.17

-66.24%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$1,055 CA$1,466

-70.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$17.1K CA$23.7K

-65.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$53.3 CA$74.0

10.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$40.15 CA$55.8

-19.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$85.4 CA$119

20.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$126 CA$175

-14.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$1,367 CA$1,900

-65.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$1,199 CA$1,666

-68.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$2,196 CA$3,052

-61.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$2,028 CA$2,818

-64.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$4,081 CA$5,670

-31.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$3,314 CA$4,604

-63.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$3,038 CA$4,221

-83.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.53

105.67%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kelowna: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $1,367 in Kelowna. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kelowna pays 494% 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 $67.0 in Kelowna for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $401 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 Kelowna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Kelowna differ by about 143% in total monthly costs ($1,013 vs $2,460 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Kelowna earns 494% 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 $1,367 in Kelowna. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $2,460 in Kelowna – a 143% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 23% less than in Kelowna. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $2,460 in Kelowna, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Kelowna. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Kelowna are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 143% less than in Kelowna. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.