Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Yellowknife Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Yellowknife

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $2,973 in Yellowknife, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $4,225 in Yellowknife, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $5,476 in Yellowknife, rent included.

Medellin is about 43% cheaper than Yellowknife, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Yellowknife sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Yellowknife by 117%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$19.97 CA$27.93

-59.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$87.6 CA$123

-45.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$8.86 CA$12.39

11.63%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$4.54 CA$6.35

-31.06%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$2.43 CA$3.40

-21.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$2.09 CA$2.93

-27.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$6.59 CA$9.22

-52.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$7.23 CA$10.11

-20.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$2.82 CA$3.94

-48.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$2.68 CA$3.75

-7.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$4.87 CA$6.81

-63.66%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$3.32 CA$4.64

-10.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$7.29 CA$10.20

38.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$16.10 CA$22.52

-37.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$16.02 CA$22.41

-10.74%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$4.78 CA$6.69

-13.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.49 CA$2.09

8.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$5.35 CA$7.48

-57.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$7.51 CA$10.51

-70.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$4.66 CA$6.52

-56.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$3.59 CA$5.02

-57.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$3.41 CA$4.77

-65.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$1.12 CA$1.56

16.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$17.80 CA$24.91

-78.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$14.17 CA$19.82

-1.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$4.19 CA$5.86

-58.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$6.32 CA$8.84

-54.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$2.19 CA$3.07

-44.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$54.6 CA$76.3

47.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$3.25 CA$4.55

-59.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$1.40 CA$1.96

56.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.22 CA$1.70

12.30%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$24.2K CA$33.8K

15.25%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$19.0K CA$26.6K

88.27%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$370 CA$517

-52.04%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$58.8 CA$82.2

-76.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$102 CA$143

-70.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$74.3 CA$104

-39.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$10.00 CA$13.99

-33.50%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$594 CA$832

36.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$63.8 CA$89.2

40.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$36.31 CA$50.8

62.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$101 CA$141

36.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$119 CA$166

-14.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$1,404 CA$1,964

-24.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$1,431 CA$2,002

-53.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$2,101 CA$2,939

-10.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$2,130 CA$2,979

-51.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$3,111 CA$4,352

34.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$2,833 CA$3,963

-40.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$4,136 CA$5,786

-83.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

5.32

105.64%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Yellowknife: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $1,404 in Yellowknife. 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 510% higher in Yellowknife, 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 $88.0 in Yellowknife. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $440 – 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 Yellowknife: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Yellowknife is pricier by about 77%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $4,460 in Yellowknife. 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $88.0 in Yellowknife. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $2,973 in Yellowknife. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Yellowknife at $2,973. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Yellowknife 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, Yellowknife makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.