Cost of Living Comparison Between Ottawa and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Ottawa and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,534 per month in Ottawa vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,628 per month in Ottawa vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,722 per month in Ottawa vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Ottawa costs about 150% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ottawa sits 89% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.49 CA$25.71

$5.99 COP 21.3K

208.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.5 CA$104

$32.86 COP 116.9K

126.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.43 CA$15.90

$7.09 COP 25.2K

61.21%

Cappuccino

$3.90 CA$5.43

$1.71 COP 6,093

128.07%

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

$2.06 CA$2.87

$1.10 COP 3,910

87.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.39

$0.78 COP 2,771

120.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.01 CA$8.36

$1.68 COP 5,976

257.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.52 CA$9.07

$3.07 COP 10.9K

112.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 CA$3.33

$1.09 COP 3,892

120.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.79

$1.26 COP 4,492

115.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.32 CA$4.61

$1.38 COP 4,905

140.58%

Eggs

$3.58 CA$4.98

$2.19 COP 7,799

63.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.35 CA$15.78

$4.40 COP 15.7K

157.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.21 CA$18.37

$5.63 COP 20.0K

134.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.73 CA$21.88

$8.89 COP 31.6K

76.94%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.82

$2.34 COP 8,319

78.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 CA$1.90

$1.06 COP 3,764

29.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.73

$1.50 COP 5,355

126.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.63 CA$5.05

$1.38 COP 4,906

163.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 CA$3.48

$1.15 COP 4,097

118.26%

Onion (1kg)

$3.18 CA$4.43

$1.16 COP 4,141

174.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 CA$3.16

$0.89 COP 3,170

156.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 CA$2.19

$0.84 COP 2,986

86.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.77 CA$19.16

$2.28 COP 8,116

503.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.82 CA$15.04

$10.64 COP 37.9K

1.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 CA$3.34

$1.20 COP 4,268

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 CA$4.31

$2.47 COP 8,793

25.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.02 CA$4.21

$0.86 COP 3,045

251.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.7 CA$136

$41.40 COP 147.3K

135.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.87 CA$3.99

$1.47 COP 5,245

95.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 CA$1.96

$1.96 COP 6,984

-28.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.58 CA$27.22

$7.74 COP 27.5K

152.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.54

$0.95 COP 3,397

16.84%

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

$25.3K CA$35.2K

$18.1K COP 64.5M

39.72%

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

$21.6K CA$30.0K

$26.5K COP 94.2M

-18.44%

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

$164 CA$228

$82.3 COP 292.7K

99.54%

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

$42.87 CA$59.6

$9.50 COP 33.8K

351.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.6 CA$71.7

$24.23 COP 86.2K

112.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.92 CA$66.6

$25.89 COP 92.1K

85.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.23 CA$22.58

$19.00 COP 67.6K

-14.58%

Cinema Ticket

$10.90 CA$15.15

$3.93 COP 14.0K

177.35%

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

$898 CA$1,249

$309 COP 1.1M

190.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K CA$22.3K

$5,965 COP 21.2M

168.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 CA$74.3

$58.7 COP 208.7K

-8.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.53 CA$56.4

$32.35 COP 115.1K

25.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 CA$126

$103 COP 365.1K

-11.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.2 CA$132

$108 COP 385.8K

-12.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,500 CA$2,086

$476 COP 1.7M

215.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,289 CA$1,792

$379 COP 1.3M

240.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,337 CA$3,250

$838 COP 3.0M

178.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,906 CA$2,651

$724 COP 2.6M

163.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,478 CA$6,228

$2,791 COP 9.9M

60.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,704 CA$6,542

$1,211 COP 4.3M

288.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,660 CA$5,091

$512 COP 1.8M

615.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.48

13.43

-59.20%

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

Last update for Ottawa: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,500 in Ottawa versus $476 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 615% higher in Ottawa, 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 $75.0 in Ottawa versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $369 vs $188 – 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

Ottawa vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ottawa is pricier by about 150%, 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 $3,801 per month in Ottawa and $1,519 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 $75.0 in Ottawa 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 $2,534 in Ottawa and $1,013 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 $1,013, than in Ottawa at $2,534. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ottawa 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, Ottawa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.