Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Okotoks

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,692 a month against $2,294 in Okotoks, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Okotoks, Canada
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,692
/mo nomad
Okotoks
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,294
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Okotoks

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Okotoks actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,692 per month in Medellin vs $2,294 in Okotoks, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,692
  • Okotoks $2,294

A couple spends around $2,471 per month in Medellin vs $3,188 in Okotoks, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,471
  • Okotoks $3,188

A family of three spends $3,249 per month in Medellin vs $4,082 in Okotoks, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,249
  • Okotoks $4,082

Medellin is about 26% cheaper than Okotoks, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Medellin and Okotoks sit above the global median – Medellin by 25%, Okotoks by 70%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Okotoks
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.34 COP 27.0K
$10.76 CA$15.02
-22.49%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.53 COP 150.9K
$77.6 CA$108
-40.05%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.47 COP 30.7K
$9.90 CA$13.81
-4.34%
Cappuccino
$3.13 COP 10.2K
$4.03 CA$5.63
-22.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 COP 5,727
$1.59 CA$2.22
11.32%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42 COP 4,619
$1.63 CA$2.27
-12.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 COP 10.2K
$4.86 CA$6.78
-35.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.70 COP 18.5K
$4.97 CA$6.94
14.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Okotoks
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.53 COP 4,969
$1.67 CA$2.33
-8.38%
White Bread (500g)
$2.29 COP 7,429
$2.23 CA$3.11
2.69%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 COP 6,306
$2.96 CA$4.13
-34.46%
Eggs
$3.07 COP 9,942
$3.64 CA$5.08
-15.66%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.99 COP 32.4K
$10.95 CA$15.29
-8.77%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.45 COP 33.9K
$11.68 CA$16.30
-10.53%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.96 COP 45.3K
$19.09 CA$26.63
-26.87%
Apples (1kg)
$4.05 COP 13.1K
$3.90 CA$5.44
3.85%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,956
$1.23 CA$1.72
24.39%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.10 COP 6,823
$4.29 CA$5.99
-51.05%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.29 COP 7,437
$4.00 CA$5.58
-42.75%
Potato (1kg)
$2.11 COP 6,839
$2.20 CA$3.07
-4.09%
Onion (1kg)
$1.71 COP 5,542
$1.81 CA$2.53
-5.52%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 COP 3,794
$2.47 CA$3.45
-52.63%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 COP 5,123
$1.85 CA$2.59
-14.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.91 COP 12.7K
$12.73 CA$17.76
-69.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.04 COP 45.5K
$11.65 CA$16.25
20.52%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 COP 5,712
$3.52 CA$4.92
-50.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 COP 8,793
$2.96 CA$4.12
-8.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Okotoks
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.18 COP 3,825
$2.56 CA$3.58
-53.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.3 COP 247.4K
$52.8 CA$73.7
44.52%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 COP 5,859
$2.86 CA$3.99
-36.71%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.13 COP 6,904
$1.42 CA$1.98
50.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.13 COP 26.4K
$21.42 CA$29.90
-62.04%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 COP 4,135
$1.00 CA$1.39
28.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.4K COP 111.7M
$27.9K CA$38.9K
23.40%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.1K COP 110.7M
$20.7K CA$28.9K
65.09%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Okotoks
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$178 COP 576.3K
$228 CA$318
-21.94%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.89 COP 45.0K
$45.75 CA$63.8
-69.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.74 COP 99.7K
$55.6 CA$77.6
-44.73%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Okotoks
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.94 COP 136.0K
$27.12 CA$37.85
54.65%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.80 COP 54.5K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.47 COP 24.2K
$12.04 CA$16.80
-37.96%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Okotoks
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.6M
$631 CA$880
25.25%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.3K COP 39.9M
$9,542 CA$13.3K
28.87%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Okotoks
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.3 COP 279.9K
$41.31 CA$57.7
109.01%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.3 COP 192.2K
$46.03 CA$64.2
28.74%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$138 COP 448.6K
$59.8 CA$83.5
131.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.8 COP 320.4K
$72.0 CA$100
37.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Okotoks
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,341 COP 4.3M
$1,200 CA$1,675
11.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$667 COP 2.2M
$1,164 CA$1,624
-42.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,976 COP 6.4M
$1,713 CA$2,391
15.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,033 COP 3.3M
$1,589 CA$2,217
-34.98%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,098 COP 13.3M
$3,055 CA$4,263
34.15%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,940 COP 6.3M
$3,169 CA$4,423
-38.79%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Okotoks
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$646 COP 2.1M
$2,982 CA$4,161
-78.33%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
4.32
153.24%

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

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Last update for Okotoks: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$667
Okotoks
$1.2K 74.4% $497
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$307
Okotoks
$367 19.4% $60
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$222
Okotoks
$329 48% $107
Eating Out
Medellin
$173
Okotoks
$211 22.4% $39
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$172
Okotoks
$99 42.7% $74
Getting Around
Medellin
$93
Okotoks
$73 21.9% $20
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$57
Okotoks
$51 10% $5.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,341 in Medellin versus $1,200 in Okotoks. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Okotoks are about 4.6 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $78 in Okotoks. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $307 vs $367 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇨🇦 Okotoks
🕒 Local time
08:09 8:09 AM
07:09 7:09 AM
1 h behind Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
30,214
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 3,242 COP (10,000 COP = 3.08 USD). 1 EUR = 3,635 COP (10,000 COP = 2.75 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.717 USD). 1 EUR = 1.56 CAD (1 CAD = 0.639 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Okotoks 6,080 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Okotoks

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Okotoks: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Okotoks?
Yes – Okotoks is pricier by about 36%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,538 per month in Medellin and $3,441 in Okotoks. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Okotoks, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,200 there versus $1,341 in Medellin.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Okotoks?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $78 in Okotoks. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Okotoks?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,692 in Medellin and $2,294 in Okotoks. That makes Medellin about 26% cheaper.
Is it better to live in Medellin or in Okotoks?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,692 in Medellin to $2,294 in Okotoks. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Okotoks makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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