Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Maple Ridge Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Maple Ridge

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $2,501 in Maple Ridge.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $3,690 in Maple Ridge.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $4,879 in Maple Ridge.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% below, Maple Ridge is 87% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$18.33 CA$25.11

-67.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$66.6 CA$91.3

-50.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$11.94 CA$16.36

-39.70%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$3.40 CA$4.65

-50.00%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.86 CA$2.55

-40.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$1.50 CA$2.06

-52.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$5.45 CA$7.47

-69.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$4.51 CA$6.18

-31.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$2.86 CA$3.92

-62.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$2.23 CA$3.05

-43.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$3.58 CA$4.90

-61.17%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$3.27 CA$4.49

-30.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$12.99 CA$17.79

-66.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$12.38 CA$16.95

-52.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$14.03 CA$19.22

-37.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.86 CA$3.92

-21.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.07 CA$2.84

-47.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$3.96 CA$5.43

-61.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$4.65 CA$6.37

-70.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$3.58 CA$4.90

-68.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$2.73 CA$3.74

-58.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$2.73 CA$3.74

-68.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$2.27 CA$3.12

-59.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$14.61 CA$20.01

-84.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$13.28 CA$18.20

-16.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$3.60 CA$4.93

-66.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$4.01 CA$5.50

-40.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$2.25 CA$3.08

-64.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$101 CA$138

-59.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$5.10 CA$6.99

-71.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.50 CA$2.05

27.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$22.16 CA$30.36

-63.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.30 CA$1.77

-27.69%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$25.0K CA$34.3K

-28.39%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$20.1K CA$27.5K

33.45%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$250 CA$343

-66.42%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$59.7 CA$81.8

-83.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$121 CA$166

-80.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$34.50 CA$47.26

-24.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$10.95 CA$15.01

-64.20%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$589 CA$806

-47.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$11.9K CA$16.3K

-50.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$54.8 CA$75.1

5.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$46.53 CA$63.7

-31.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$102 CA$140

-2.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$137 CA$188

-21.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$1,411 CA$1,933

-65.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$1,074 CA$1,471

-65.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$1,963 CA$2,689

-57.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$1,970 CA$2,699

-63.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$5,928 CA$8,121

-50.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$3,629 CA$4,972

-61.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$3,280 CA$4,494

-83.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.96

125.34%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Maple Ridge: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $1,411 in Maple Ridge. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Maple Ridge pays 501% 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 Maple Ridge for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $394 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 Maple Ridge: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 142% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Maple Ridge earns 501% 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: $487 in Medellin versus $1,411 in Maple Ridge. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 108% higher in Maple Ridge. 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 $67.0 in Maple Ridge. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $2,501 in Maple Ridge, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Maple Ridge. 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 Maple Ridge, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Maple Ridge 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 142% less than in Maple Ridge. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.