Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Thompson Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Thompson

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,014 per month in Medellin vs $1,849 in Thompson, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,596 per month in Medellin vs $2,821 in Thompson, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,178 per month in Medellin vs $3,794 in Thompson, rent included.

Medellin is about 45% cheaper than Thompson, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% below the global median, while Thompson is 37% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.3K

$16.72 CA$22.91

-64.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 COP 119.5K

$70.1 CA$96.1

-52.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 COP 26.1K

$10.87 CA$14.90

-33.30%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,176

$3.70 CA$5.08

-53.78%

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

$1.09 COP 3,940

$1.99 CA$2.72

-45.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,760

$1.70 CA$2.33

-54.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 COP 6,294

$5.49 CA$7.52

-68.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 11.5K

$5.92 CA$8.12

-46.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,816

$2.20 CA$3.01

-51.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,687

$2.61 CA$3.57

-50.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,958

$3.55 CA$4.87

-61.13%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,958

$3.40 CA$4.66

-35.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 COP 16.3K

$11.17 CA$15.31

-59.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.9K

$11.77 CA$16.12

-50.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 32.3K

$14.90 CA$20.41

-39.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 COP 8,235

$4.13 CA$5.66

-44.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,815

$1.36 CA$1.86

-22.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 5,446

$3.65 CA$5.00

-58.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,900

$3.71 CA$5.08

-63.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,172

$2.44 CA$3.34

-52.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,201

$2.55 CA$3.50

-54.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,979

$2.54 CA$3.49

-67.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 3,063

$1.77 CA$2.42

-51.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,477

$13.79 CA$18.89

-82.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 COP 39.9K

$13.23 CA$18.12

-16.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,159

$2.95 CA$4.05

-61.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,910

$3.14 CA$4.31

-21.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,845

$2.38 CA$3.26

-66.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 150.7K

$63.8 CA$87.3

-34.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,173

$3.11 CA$4.25

-53.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,836

$1.48 CA$2.03

28.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 COP 27.7K

$25.52 CA$34.96

-69.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,704

$1.19 CA$1.63

-13.45%

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

$17.7K COP 63.7M

$25.4K CA$34.8K

-30.42%

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

$27.0K COP 97.3M

$20.7K CA$28.4K

30.51%

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

$81.4 COP 293.2K

$143 CA$196

-42.96%

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

$9.42 COP 33.9K

$43.14 CA$59.1

-78.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.77 COP 85.6K

$62.4 CA$85.5

-61.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 93.2K

$42.34 CA$58.0

-38.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 14.6K

$11.63 CA$15.94

-65.18%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$727 CA$996

-57.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,067 COP 21.9M

$11.9K CA$16.3K

-49.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 212.0K

$55.3 CA$75.7

6.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 118.2K

$39.28 CA$53.8

-16.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 361.9K

$85.7 CA$117

17.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 382.8K

$106 CA$146

-0.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.8M

$698 CA$956

-29.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$692 CA$948

-46.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,164 CA$1,594

-27.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

$1,156 CA$1,584

-38.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

$5,081 CA$6,962

-41.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

$4,200 CA$5,754

-66.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

$1,628 CA$2,230

-67.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.46

107.89%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Last update for Thompson: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Medellin versus $698 in Thompson. 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 201% higher in Thompson, 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 in Medellin versus $70 in Thompson. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $366 – 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 Thompson: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Thompson is pricier by about 82%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,522 per month in Medellin and $2,773 in Thompson. 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 $70.0 in Thompson. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,014 in Medellin and $1,849 in Thompson. 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 $1,014, than in Thompson at $1,849. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Thompson 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, Thompson makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.