Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Penticton Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Penticton

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $2,011 in Penticton, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $3,102 in Penticton, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $4,194 in Penticton, rent included.

Medellin is about 16% cheaper than Penticton, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Penticton sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Penticton by 47%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$14.18 CA$19.83

-43.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$61.5 CA$86.1

-22.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$10.03 CA$14.04

-1.40%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$3.79 CA$5.31

-17.41%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.82 CA$2.54

4.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$1.84 CA$2.58

-17.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$4.96 CA$6.93

-37.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$7.69 CA$10.75

-25.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$3.12 CA$4.37

-53.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$2.22 CA$3.11

12.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$6.15 CA$8.60

-71.22%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$4.23 CA$5.91

-30.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$8.94 CA$12.51

12.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$10.63 CA$14.87

-4.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$17.04 CA$23.84

-16.08%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$5.22 CA$7.30

-20.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$2.27 CA$3.18

-29.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$5.27 CA$7.37

-57.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$4.63 CA$6.47

-51.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$3.71 CA$5.19

-45.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$3.57 CA$4.99

-56.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$2.61 CA$3.65

-55.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$1.99 CA$2.78

-34.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$13.39 CA$18.73

-70.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$12.47 CA$17.44

12.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$4.58 CA$6.41

-62.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$5.85 CA$8.19

-50.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$1.57 CA$2.20

-22.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$32.22 CA$45.07

149.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$2.35 CA$3.29

-44.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$1.85 CA$2.58

18.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$37.33 CA$52.2

-76.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.18 CA$1.65

16.10%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$28.9K CA$40.4K

-3.54%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$19.1K CA$26.7K

87.12%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$89.7 CA$125

97.66%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$47.16 CA$66.0

-70.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$61.6 CA$86.2

-51.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$40.96 CA$57.3

9.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$7.17 CA$10.03

138.77%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$11.60 CA$16.22

-42.67%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$6,780 CA$9,485

35.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$39.02 CA$54.6

129.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$33.51 CA$46.87

75.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$80.2 CA$112

72.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$149 CA$208

-31.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$1,190 CA$1,665

-10.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$913 CA$1,277

-27.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$1,825 CA$2,552

3.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$1,713 CA$2,396

-40.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$2,668 CA$3,732

56.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$3,152 CA$4,409

-46.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$2,843 CA$3,976

-76.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.75

130.32%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Penticton: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $1,190 in Penticton. 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 319% higher in Penticton, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $62.0 in Penticton. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $422 – 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 Penticton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Penticton is pricier by about 20%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $3,016 in Penticton. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 150% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 39% more in Penticton, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Penticton at $2,011. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Penticton it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Penticton makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.