Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Waterloo Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Waterloo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $2,444 in Waterloo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $3,570 in Waterloo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $4,697 in Waterloo, rent included.

Medellin is about 59% cheaper than Waterloo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% below the global median, while Waterloo is 84% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.4K

$14.92 CA$20.90

-60.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 102.7K

$67.2 CA$94.1

-50.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.1K

$9.62 CA$13.48

-22.77%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,153

$3.11 CA$4.36

-46.95%

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

$1.10 COP 3,432

$1.49 CA$2.09

-26.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,433

$1.55 CA$2.17

-49.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,356

$5.36 CA$7.52

-67.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 9,904

$6.52 CA$9.13

-51.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,439

$2.16 CA$3.03

-49.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,921

$2.36 CA$3.30

-46.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,304

$2.64 CA$3.70

-47.73%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,788

$3.02 CA$4.23

-27.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.0K

$8.26 CA$11.57

-45.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.0K

$16.57 CA$23.21

-65.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 27.9K

$14.12 CA$19.78

-36.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,232

$4.09 CA$5.72

-43.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,318

$1.24 CA$1.74

-14.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,725

$3.24 CA$4.54

-53.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,226

$3.78 CA$5.29

-64.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,515

$2.40 CA$3.36

-52.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$2.79 CA$3.90

-58.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,809

$1.97 CA$2.76

-54.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,794

$1.59 CA$2.23

-43.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 6,961

$14.03 CA$19.66

-84.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 37.8K

$10.04 CA$14.07

20.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,704

$2.43 CA$3.40

-51.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,735

$3.15 CA$4.41

-21.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,660

$2.82 CA$3.96

-69.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 129.7K

$68.5 CA$96.0

-39.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,413

$2.65 CA$3.72

-46.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,078

$1.69 CA$2.37

15.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.6K

$29.94 CA$41.95

-73.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,086

$1.12 CA$1.57

-11.61%

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

$17.6K COP 54.8M

$25.2K CA$35.3K

-30.09%

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

$26.8K COP 83.5M

$19.9K CA$27.9K

34.62%

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

$83.0 COP 258.7K

$184 CA$258

-55.00%

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

$9.70 COP 30.2K

$36.58 CA$51.3

-73.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 73.3K

$55.6 CA$77.9

-57.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 78.7K

$39.30 CA$55.1

-35.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 59.5K

$15.70 CA$22.00

21.66%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.3K

$12.14 CA$17.01

-67.46%

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

$316 COP 984.0K

$558 CA$782

-43.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.6M

$10.4K CA$14.5K

-42.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 187.0K

$53.5 CA$74.9

12.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 99.1K

$26.07 CA$36.53

22.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 316.8K

$69.0 CA$96.6

47.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 334.8K

$89.0 CA$125

20.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$1,412 CA$1,978

-66.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$1,245 CA$1,744

-69.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.6M

$2,376 CA$3,329

-64.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.2M

$2,132 CA$2,987

-66.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.2M

$5,144 CA$7,207

-36.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$4,993 CA$6,995

-71.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 1.9M

$2,946 CA$4,128

-78.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.71

100.15%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Waterloo: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $1,412 in Waterloo. 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 372% higher in Waterloo, 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 $67.0 in Waterloo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $356 – 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 Waterloo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Waterloo is pricier by about 144%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $3,666 in Waterloo. 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 $67.0 in Waterloo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,003 in Medellin and $2,444 in Waterloo. 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 $1,003, than in Waterloo at $2,444. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Waterloo 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, Waterloo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.