Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreal and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,085 per month in Montreal vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,174 per month in Montreal vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,262 per month in Montreal vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Montreal costs about 102% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Montreal sits 56% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.52 CA$23.24

$6.16 COP 20.1K

168.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.0 CA$104

$32.60 COP 106.1K

126.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$15.40

$7.34 COP 23.9K

49.05%

Cappuccino

$3.84 CA$5.41

$1.72 COP 5,599

123.26%

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

$2.14 CA$3.01

$1.05 COP 3,420

103.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.04

$0.77 COP 2,515

88.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.13 CA$8.63

$1.69 COP 5,487

262.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 CA$9.47

$3.17 COP 10.3K

112.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 CA$3.31

$1.05 COP 3,423

123.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 CA$4.69

$1.30 COP 4,236

156.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.27

$1.40 COP 4,544

167.14%

Eggs

$3.39 CA$4.77

$2.16 COP 7,046

56.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.30 CA$22.93

$4.39 COP 14.3K

271.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.81 CA$16.62

$5.88 COP 19.1K

100.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.64 CA$22.01

$8.64 COP 28.1K

81.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 CA$5.20

$2.28 COP 7,425

61.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.39

$1.11 COP 3,603

53.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.79

$1.53 COP 4,982

168.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 CA$6.20

$1.35 COP 4,410

226.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 CA$3.93

$1.13 COP 3,674

146.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.72

$1.13 COP 3,692

133.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 CA$3.22

$0.85 COP 2,753

169.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.51

$0.91 COP 2,975

95.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.17 CA$18.53

$2.34 COP 7,629

462.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 CA$14.97

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-13.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 CA$4.20

$1.20 COP 3,909

149.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 CA$4.83

$2.49 COP 8,104

38.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 CA$3.95

$0.84 COP 2,727

234.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.8 CA$102

$40.57 COP 132.1K

79.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 CA$4.95

$1.42 COP 4,623

147.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CA$2.05

$1.92 COP 6,235

-24.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.29 CA$48.26

$7.66 COP 24.9K

347.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.72

$0.99 COP 3,223

23.23%

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

$25.3K CA$35.5K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

40.06%

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

$22.1K CA$31.1K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-16.87%

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

$76.5 CA$108

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-5.33%

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

$35.60 CA$50.1

$9.95 COP 32.4K

257.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.96 CA$60.5

$24.18 COP 78.7K

77.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.39 CA$61.1

$25.08 COP 81.6K

73.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.83 CA$23.68

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-12.11%

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.60

$3.98 COP 13.0K

178.64%

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

$625 CA$879

$305 COP 993.4K

104.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,896 CA$8,296

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-2.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.1 CA$88.8

$58.1 COP 189.2K

8.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.50 CA$62.6

$32.20 COP 104.8K

38.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$145

$101 COP 327.9K

2.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$166

$108 COP 350.8K

9.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 CA$1,699

$477 COP 1.6M

153.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$965 CA$1,358

$376 COP 1.2M

156.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 CA$2,858

$845 COP 2.7M

140.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 CA$2,219

$730 COP 2.4M

115.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,085 CA$7,155

$3,215 COP 10.5M

58.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,783 CA$5,324

$1,372 COP 4.5M

175.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,890 CA$4,066

$617 COP 2.0M

368.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

13.43

-62.70%

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

Last update for Montreal: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,207 in Montreal versus $477 in Medellin. 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 368% higher in Montreal, 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 $74.0 in Montreal versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $395 vs $193 – 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

Montreal vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Montreal is pricier by about 102%, 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 $3,127 per month in Montreal and $1,546 in Medellin. 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 $74.0 in Montreal and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,085 in Montreal and $1,031 in Medellin. 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 $1,031, than in Montreal at $2,085. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal 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.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Montreal makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.