Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Red Deer

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,625 a month against $2,225 in Red Deer, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index
107

Cost of Living Index in Red Deer
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Red Deer Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,625

/mo nomad

Red Deer

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,225

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Red Deer

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 Red Deer actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,625 per month in Medellin vs $2,225 in Red Deer, rent included.

Medellin $1,625
Red Deer $2,225

A couple spends around $2,412 per month in Medellin vs $3,182 in Red Deer, rent included.

Medellin $2,412
Red Deer $3,182

A family of three spends $3,199 per month in Medellin vs $4,138 in Red Deer, rent included.

Medellin $3,199
Red Deer $4,138

Medellin is about 27% cheaper than Red Deer, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Medellin and Red Deer sit above the global median – Medellin by 20%, Red Deer by 64%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.30 COP 26.3K

$19.05 CA$26.93

-56.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.91 COP 148.7K

$59.2 CA$83.7

-20.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.24 COP 29.3K

$11.26 CA$15.92

-17.94%

Cappuccino

$3.05 COP 9,676

$5.39 CA$7.62

-43.41%

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

$1.80 COP 5,707

$2.05 CA$2.89

-12.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 COP 4,382

$2.12 CA$2.99

-34.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 COP 10.3K

$5.46 CA$7.71

-40.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.56 COP 17.6K

$6.77 CA$9.57

-17.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 COP 4,760

$1.76 CA$2.49

-14.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 COP 7,508

$2.78 CA$3.93

-14.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,377

$3.42 CA$4.84

-50.29%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,379

$3.38 CA$4.77

-12.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.22 COP 32.4K

$10.05 CA$14.21

1.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.74 COP 30.9K

$16.72 CA$23.63

-41.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.90 COP 44.1K

$17.42 CA$24.63

-20.21%

Apples (1kg)

$4.13 COP 13.1K

$6.90 CA$9.75

-40.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,839

$1.69 CA$2.38

-9.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 COP 7,052

$2.43 CA$3.44

-8.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 COP 7,194

$5.57 CA$7.88

-59.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 COP 6,311

$5.46 CA$7.72

-63.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 COP 5,285

$2.18 CA$3.08

-23.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 COP 3,742

$3.14 CA$4.44

-62.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 COP 3,919

$2.75 CA$3.89

-54.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.87 COP 12.3K

$15.58 CA$22.03

-75.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.78 COP 43.7K

$13.93 CA$19.70

-1.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 COP 5,256

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 COP 7,615

$6.20 CA$8.77

-61.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 COP 3,944

$2.18 CA$3.08

-43.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.2 COP 248.0K

$51.3 CA$72.5

52.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,044

$2.69 CA$3.80

-52.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.15 COP 6,803

$1.38 CA$1.95

55.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.37 COP 26.5K

$23.06 CA$32.60

-63.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,288

$1.07 CA$1.51

26.17%

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

$34.8K COP 110.2M

$24.8K CA$35.1K

39.96%

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

$34.7K COP 110.0M

$20.6K CA$29.1K

68.32%

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

$167 COP 528.4K

$177 CA$250

-5.59%

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

$13.62 COP 43.2K

$64.5 CA$91.1

-78.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.12 COP 92.3K

$64.0 CA$90.5

-54.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.09 COP 143.0K

$36.34 CA$51.4

24.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.18 COP 54.5K

$10.50 CA$14.84

63.62%

Cinema Ticket

$6.97 COP 22.1K

$10.48 CA$14.81

-33.49%

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

$790 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,041 COP 28.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.8 COP 278.4K

$50.4 CA$71.3

74.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.2 COP 184.4K

$34.10 CA$48.21

70.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 440.7K

$76.7 CA$108

81.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.9 COP 313.5K

$106 CA$149

-6.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 COP 3.3M

$1,037 CA$1,467

-0.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 COP 2.0M

$937 CA$1,325

-33.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,881 COP 6.0M

$1,548 CA$2,189

21.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 COP 3.2M

$1,322 CA$1,869

-23.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,988 COP 12.6M

$2,712 CA$3,834

47.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,702 COP 5.4M

$2,686 CA$3,798

-36.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$663 COP 2.1M

$3,043 CA$4,302

-78.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

5.8

88.62%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 19, 2026

Last update for Red Deer: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$619 38.1%

Red Deer

$937 42.1% 51.3% $318

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$298 18.3%

Red Deer

$427 * 19.2% 43.5% $129

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$209 12.9%

Red Deer

$305 13.7% 45.7% $96

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$173 10.6%

Red Deer

$120 5.4% 30.5% $53

Eating Out

Medellin

$171 10.5%

Red Deer

$308 13.9% 80.5% $138

Getting Around

Medellin

$95 5.9%

Red Deer

$70 3.1% 26.9% $26

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$59 3.6%

Red Deer

$57 2.6% 2.9% $1.7

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,028 in Medellin versus $1,037 in Red Deer. 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 359% higher in Red Deer, 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 $47.00 in Medellin versus $59.0 in Red Deer. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $427 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇨🇦 Red Deer

🕒 Local time

00:03 12:03 AM

23:03 11:03 PM

1 h behind Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

100,418

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.15 USD

10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Medellin Red Deer 6,190 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Red Deer

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 Red Deer: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Red Deer is pricier by about 37%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,437 per month in Medellin and $3,338 in Red Deer. 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 52% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 43% more in Red Deer, 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 $1,625, than in Red Deer at $2,225. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Red Deer 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, Red Deer makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.