Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Quebec City Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Quebec City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,886 in Quebec City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $2,916 in Quebec City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $3,947 in Quebec City, rent included.

Medellin is about 11% cheaper than Quebec City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Quebec City sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Quebec City by 38%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$20.07 CA$28.08

-60.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$67.0 CA$93.7

-28.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$11.45 CA$16.02

-13.62%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$3.80 CA$5.32

-17.63%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$2.17 CA$3.04

-11.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$1.50 CA$2.10

0.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$5.85 CA$8.18

-46.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$5.79 CA$8.10

-0.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$2.17 CA$3.04

-33.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$2.88 CA$4.03

-13.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$4.11 CA$5.75

-56.93%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$3.18 CA$4.45

-6.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$9.15 CA$12.80

10.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$10.88 CA$15.22

-6.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$10.48 CA$14.66

36.45%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$4.35 CA$6.08

-4.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.54 CA$2.15

4.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$3.77 CA$5.27

-40.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$4.06 CA$5.68

-44.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$2.99 CA$4.19

-31.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$2.92 CA$4.08

-47.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$2.84 CA$3.97

-58.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$1.46 CA$2.05

-10.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$15.16 CA$21.21

-74.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$11.73 CA$16.41

19.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$3.17 CA$4.43

-45.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$3.49 CA$4.88

-17.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$2.94 CA$4.11

-58.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$72.3 CA$101

11.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$2.92 CA$4.09

-55.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$1.45 CA$2.03

51.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$35.17 CA$49.19

-75.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.30 CA$1.82

5.38%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$28.9K CA$40.4K

-3.55%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$21.7K CA$30.4K

64.74%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$102 CA$142

74.56%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$32.20 CA$45.05

-56.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$45.88 CA$64.2

-35.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$36.94 CA$51.7

21.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$15.28 CA$21.38

12.04%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$11.10 CA$15.53

-40.09%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$707 CA$990

14.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$9,276 CA$13.0K

-0.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$61.2 CA$85.6

46.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$52.5 CA$73.4

12.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$91.7 CA$128

50.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$110 CA$154

-6.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$1,030 CA$1,440

3.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$773 CA$1,081

-14.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$1,591 CA$2,226

18.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$1,287 CA$1,800

-20.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$5,225 CA$7,309

-19.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$2,758 CA$3,859

-39.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$3,054 CA$4,272

-77.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.45

145.84%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Quebec City: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $1,030 in Quebec City. 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 351% higher in Quebec City, 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 $67.0 in Quebec City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $349 – 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 Quebec City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Quebec City is pricier by about 12%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $2,828 in Quebec City. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $67.0 in Quebec City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $1,886 in Quebec City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Quebec City at $1,886. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Quebec City 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.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Quebec City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.