Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Markham Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Markham

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,687 in Medellin versus $2,467 in Markham.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,535 in Medellin versus $3,565 in Markham.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,383 in Medellin versus $4,662 in Markham.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 32% less than in Markham, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 23% above, Markham 80% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$17.90 CA$24.66

-55.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$53.3 CA$73.4

-16.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$10.73 CA$14.78

-13.42%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$3.72 CA$5.13

-22.04%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$1.82 CA$2.51

-0.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$1.37 CA$1.89

13.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$4.72 CA$6.51

-31.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$7.17 CA$9.88

-17.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$2.01 CA$2.77

-31.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$2.21 CA$3.05

10.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$1.97 CA$2.71

-23.35%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$3.09 CA$4.26

-10.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$12.12 CA$16.70

-12.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$7.23 CA$9.96

102.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$3.83 CA$5.28

3.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$1.32 CA$1.81

4.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$2.31 CA$3.19

-0.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$3.43 CA$4.72

-41.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$2.05 CA$2.82

1.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$1.93 CA$2.66

-15.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$2.92 CA$4.02

-63.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$1.55 CA$2.13

-19.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$13.79 CA$19.00

-70.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$15.16 CA$20.89

-11.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$2.54 CA$3.50

-37.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$3.22 CA$4.43

-6.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$3.14 CA$4.32

-62.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

$92.2 CA$127

-13.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$3.34 CA$4.61

-51.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$18.98 CA$26.15

-55.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.12 CA$1.55

20.54%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$29.0K CA$39.9K

-2.25%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$18.3K CA$25.2K

94.81%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$127 CA$175

18.85%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$26.97 CA$37.16

-51.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$47.53 CA$65.5

-32.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$43.83 CA$60.4

5.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

$21.24 CA$29.26

-18.74%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$10.45 CA$14.39

-38.47%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$883 CA$1,217

-5.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$28.5K CA$39.2K

-68.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$43.43 CA$59.8

105.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$38.19 CA$52.6

44.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$93.9 CA$129

45.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$98.8 CA$136

10.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$1,620 CA$2,232

-41.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$1,407 CA$1,939

-52.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$2,744 CA$3,781

-26.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$2,331 CA$3,212

-50.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$6,085 CA$8,384

-39.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$5,645 CA$7,777

-71.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$3,139 CA$4,325

-80.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

4.56

128.73%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Markham: August 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $952 in Medellin and $1,620 in Markham. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Markham pays 402% 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: $45.00 in Medellin vs $53.0 in Markham. Groceries flip the comparison at $297 vs $288, with Markham cheaper for home cooking.

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 Markham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 46% lower than in Markham. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 402% lower in Markham. 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: $952 in Medellin versus $1,620 in Markham. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $835 in Medellin versus $883 in Markham. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Markham pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,687 in Medellin versus $2,467 in Markham, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Markham. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,687 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Markham 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 46% less than in Markham. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.