Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sault Ste. Marie Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sault Ste. Marie

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $2,029 in Sault Ste. Marie, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $3,040 in Sault Ste. Marie, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $4,050 in Sault Ste. Marie, rent included.

Medellin is about 49% cheaper than Sault Ste. Marie, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Sault Ste. Marie is 52% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.9K

$16.88 CA$23.62

-64.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 114.6K

$73.3 CA$103

-55.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.9K

$10.16 CA$14.22

-26.97%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,761

$3.57 CA$4.99

-53.78%

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

$1.07 COP 3,729

$1.75 CA$2.44

-38.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,654

$1.34 CA$1.87

-43.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 6,015

$4.55 CA$6.36

-62.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.2K

$5.56 CA$7.78

-42.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$2.69 CA$3.76

-60.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,560

$2.32 CA$3.25

-43.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,674

$4.04 CA$5.65

-66.83%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,657

$2.90 CA$4.06

-24.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.4K

$8.88 CA$12.43

-50.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.9K

$10.28 CA$14.38

-44.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.7K

$11.61 CA$16.25

-26.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,167

$3.14 CA$4.40

-25.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,873

$1.11 CA$1.55

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,304

$2.95 CA$4.13

-48.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,765

$3.55 CA$4.96

-61.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,021

$2.31 CA$3.23

-50.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,116

$1.58 CA$2.21

-25.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,937

$2.65 CA$3.71

-68.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,984

$1.64 CA$2.30

-47.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,893

$11.72 CA$16.40

-80.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 40.5K

$10.80 CA$15.11

7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,183

$1.91 CA$2.68

-37.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,637

$2.53 CA$3.54

-1.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,770

$2.44 CA$3.42

-67.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 142.5K

$59.2 CA$82.8

-30.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,114

$3.52 CA$4.92

-58.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,686

$1.90 CA$2.65

1.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 27.1K

$24.56 CA$34.36

-68.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,526

$1.11 CA$1.56

-9.01%

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

$17.7K COP 61.6M

$25.2K CA$35.3K

-30.06%

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

$26.5K COP 92.3M

$20.4K CA$28.6K

29.64%

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

$81.1 COP 283.0K

$169 CA$236

-51.99%

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

$9.43 COP 32.9K

$41.27 CA$57.8

-77.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 83.2K

$70.3 CA$98.4

-66.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 90.7K

$33.60 CA$47.01

-22.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 65.3K

$18.43 CA$25.78

1.52%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.3K

$12.40 CA$17.36

-67.02%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$522 CA$731

-39.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 21.0M

$5,066 CA$7,089

18.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 208.3K

$45.89 CA$64.2

30.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 111.5K

$36.71 CA$51.4

-12.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 353.2K

$61.7 CA$86.4

64.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 366.8K

$124 CA$174

-15.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$899 CA$1,258

-46.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$923 CA$1,292

-60.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.9M

$1,492 CA$2,087

-44.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$1,498 CA$2,096

-51.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.4M

$1,851 CA$2,590

61.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.6M

$5,591 CA$7,822

-76.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$3,039 CA$4,252

-81.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.67

101.35%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Sault Ste. Marie: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $899 in Sault Ste. Marie. 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 452% higher in Sault Ste. Marie, 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $73.0 in Sault Ste. Marie. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $319 – 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 Sault Ste. Marie: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sault Ste. Marie is pricier by about 97%, 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 $1,542 per month in Medellin and $3,044 in Sault Ste. Marie. 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $73.0 in Sault Ste. Marie. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,028 in Medellin and $2,029 in Sault Ste. Marie. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,028, than in Sault Ste. Marie at $2,029. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sault Ste. Marie 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, Sault Ste. Marie makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.