Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Swift Current

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,625 a month against $2,221 in Swift Current, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index
107

Cost of Living Index in Swift Current
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Swift Current Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,625

/mo nomad

Swift Current

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,221

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Swift Current

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 Swift Current actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,625 per month in Medellin vs $2,221 in Swift Current, rent included.

Medellin $1,625
Swift Current $2,221

A couple spends around $2,412 per month in Medellin vs $3,136 in Swift Current, rent included.

Medellin $2,412
Swift Current $3,136

A family of three spends $3,199 per month in Medellin vs $4,051 in Swift Current, rent included.

Medellin $3,199
Swift Current $4,051

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

Both Medellin and Swift Current sit above the global median – Medellin by 20%, Swift Current by 64%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.30 COP 26.3K

$15.77 CA$22.29

-47.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.91 COP 148.7K

$55.6 CA$78.6

-15.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.24 COP 29.3K

$8.91 CA$12.59

3.70%

Cappuccino

$3.05 COP 9,676

$3.65 CA$5.16

-16.44%

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

$1.80 COP 5,707

$1.72 CA$2.43

4.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 COP 4,382

$1.71 CA$2.42

-19.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 COP 10.3K

$4.32 CA$6.10

-25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.56 COP 17.6K

$6.35 CA$8.98

-12.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 COP 4,760

$2.67 CA$3.77

-43.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 COP 7,508

$1.79 CA$2.53

32.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,377

$4.75 CA$6.71

-64.21%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,379

$3.16 CA$4.47

-6.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.22 COP 32.4K

$8.54 CA$12.08

19.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.74 COP 30.9K

$8.53 CA$12.06

14.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.90 COP 44.1K

$10.43 CA$14.74

33.27%

Apples (1kg)

$4.13 COP 13.1K

$2.13 CA$3.02

93.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,839

$0.85 CA$1.20

80.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 COP 7,052

$2.16 CA$3.05

2.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 COP 7,194

$2.39 CA$3.38

-5.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 COP 6,311

$2.71 CA$3.83

-26.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 COP 5,285

$2.04 CA$2.88

-18.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 COP 3,742

$2.12 CA$3.00

-44.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 COP 3,919

$1.46 CA$2.07

-15.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.87 COP 12.3K

$14.58 CA$20.61

-73.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.78 COP 43.7K

$13.60 CA$19.23

1.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 COP 5,256

$2.71 CA$3.82

-38.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 COP 7,615

$3.30 CA$4.66

-27.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 COP 3,944

$2.25 CA$3.19

-44.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.2 COP 248.0K

$60.7 CA$85.9

28.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,044

$4.20 CA$5.94

-69.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.15 COP 6,803

$1.27 CA$1.80

69.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.37 COP 26.5K

$14.16 CA$20.02

-40.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,288

$1.03 CA$1.46

31.07%

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

$34.8K COP 110.2M

$28.2K CA$39.9K

23.32%

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

$34.7K COP 110.0M

$20.8K CA$29.5K

66.37%

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

$167 COP 528.4K

$207 CA$293

-19.52%

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

$13.62 COP 43.2K

$47.20 CA$66.7

-71.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.12 COP 92.3K

$49.31 CA$69.7

-40.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.09 COP 143.0K

$40.28 CA$56.9

11.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.18 COP 54.5K

$17.98 CA$25.42

-4.45%

Cinema Ticket

$6.97 COP 22.1K

$8.32 CA$11.77

-16.23%

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

$790 COP 2.5M

$482 CA$682

63.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,041 COP 28.7M

$14.1K CA$20.0K

-36.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.8 COP 278.4K

$49.16 CA$69.5

78.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.2 COP 184.4K

$43.50 CA$61.5

33.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 440.7K

$61.8 CA$87.4

124.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.9 COP 313.5K

$98.4 CA$139

0.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 COP 3.3M

$1,257 CA$1,778

-18.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 COP 2.0M

$1,124 CA$1,588

-44.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,881 COP 6.0M

$1,906 CA$2,695

-1.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 COP 3.2M

$1,711 CA$2,419

-41.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,988 COP 12.6M

$4,104 CA$5,802

-2.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,702 COP 5.4M

$3,619 CA$5,116

-52.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$663 COP 2.1M

$1,749 CA$2,472

-62.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.8

127.92%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 19, 2026

Last update for Swift Current: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$619 38.1%

Swift Current

$1.1K 50.6% 81.4% $504

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$298 18.3%

Swift Current

$298 13.4% 0.1% $0.3

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$209 12.9%

Swift Current

$304 13.7% 45% $94

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$173 10.6%

Swift Current

$114 5.1% 34.1% $59

Eating Out

Medellin

$171 10.5%

Swift Current

$245 11% 43.2% $74

Getting Around

Medellin

$95 5.9%

Swift Current

$80 3.6% 15.6% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$59 3.6%

Swift Current

$57 2.6% 3.6% $2.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,028 in Medellin versus $1,257 in Swift Current. 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 164% higher in Swift Current, 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 $56.0 in Swift Current. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $298 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇨🇦 Swift Current

🕒 Local time

06:46 6:46 AM

05:46 5:46 AM

1 h behind Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

18,000

💱 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 21, 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 21, 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 Swift Current 5,730 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Swift Current

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 Swift Current: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Swift Current 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 $3,331 in Swift Current. 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 $47.00 in Medellin and $56.0 in Swift Current. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,625 in Medellin and $2,221 in Swift Current. That's a gap of about 37%.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,625, than in Swift Current at $2,221. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Swift Current 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, Swift Current makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.