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 $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $2,130 in Sault Ste. Marie, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $3,072 in Sault Ste. Marie, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $4,013 in Sault Ste. Marie, rent included.

Medellin is about 21% cheaper than Sault Ste. Marie, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Sault Ste. Marie sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Sault Ste. Marie by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$17.00 CA$23.79

-52.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$72.4 CA$101

-33.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$10.39 CA$14.54

-4.81%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$3.51 CA$4.91

-10.83%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$1.60 CA$2.24

19.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$1.40 CA$1.96

7.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$4.66 CA$6.52

-33.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$4.99 CA$6.98

15.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$2.42 CA$3.39

-40.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$2.09 CA$2.93

19.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$3.17 CA$4.43

-44.16%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$2.93 CA$4.10

1.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$8.75 CA$12.24

15.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$10.09 CA$14.12

0.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$10.78 CA$15.08

32.65%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$3.23 CA$4.52

28.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$1.01 CA$1.42

59.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$2.98 CA$4.17

-24.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$3.58 CA$5.00

-37.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$2.00 CA$2.80

2.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$1.78 CA$2.49

-13.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$2.84 CA$3.97

-58.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$1.28 CA$1.78

2.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$15.62 CA$21.85

-75.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$10.74 CA$15.03

30.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$1.87 CA$2.61

-6.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$2.40 CA$3.36

19.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$2.32 CA$3.24

-47.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$56.9 CA$79.6

41.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$3.65 CA$5.11

-64.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$2.33 CA$3.26

-6.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$24.05 CA$33.65

-63.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$1.05 CA$1.47

30.48%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$24.5K CA$34.2K

13.80%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$19.5K CA$27.3K

83.31%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$177 CA$248

0.02%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$44.74 CA$62.6

-68.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$79.1 CA$111

-62.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$49.82 CA$69.7

-9.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

$17.88 CA$25.02

-4.25%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$11.38 CA$15.92

-41.56%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$5,121 CA$7,165

79.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$45.78 CA$64.1

95.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$35.84 CA$50.1

64.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$76.9 CA$108

79.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$121 CA$170

-15.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$895 CA$1,252

18.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$943 CA$1,319

-29.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$1,368 CA$1,914

38.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$1,511 CA$2,114

-32.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$1,888 CA$2,641

121.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$5,497 CA$7,691

-69.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$3,043 CA$4,258

-77.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

5.53

97.83%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Sault Ste. Marie: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $895 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 349% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $72.0 in Sault Ste. Marie. Groceries tell a different story – $305 in Medellin vs $302 in Sault Ste. Marie – so Sault Ste. Marie wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 27%, 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 $3,196 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.

Public transport costs about 41% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Sault Ste. Marie – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Sault Ste. Marie at $2,130. 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.