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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,445 per month in Ottawa vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,628 per month in Ottawa vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,812 per month in Ottawa vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Ottawa costs about 42% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ottawa and Medellin sit above the global median – Ottawa by 78%, Medellin by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.57 CA$27.08

$8.03 COP 25.1K

143.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.1 CA$105

$48.26 COP 150.8K

57.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$15.13

$9.77 COP 30.5K

11.98%

Cappuccino

$3.99 CA$5.52

$2.91 COP 9,095

37.11%

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

$2.06 CA$2.85

$1.94 COP 6,074

6.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.44

$1.52 COP 4,754

15.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.75 CA$7.96

$3.09 COP 9,663

86.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.31 CA$8.73

$5.74 COP 17.9K

9.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 CA$3.13

$1.36 COP 4,262

66.18%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 CA$4.20

$2.39 COP 7,460

26.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.29 CA$4.55

$1.70 COP 5,314

93.53%

Eggs

$3.41 CA$4.72

$2.87 COP 8,967

18.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.98 CA$15.19

$9.94 COP 31.1K

10.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.34 CA$15.69

$10.78 COP 33.7K

5.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.69 CA$24.47

$14.73 COP 46.0K

20.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.78 CA$5.23

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-7.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 CA$1.90

$1.57 COP 4,911

-12.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 CA$5.36

$2.13 COP 6,642

82.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.79 CA$5.25

$2.21 COP 6,917

71.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.73 CA$3.78

$2.05 COP 6,396

33.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.42 CA$3.34

$1.50 COP 4,700

61.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.70 CA$3.73

$1.19 COP 3,718

126.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 CA$2.19

$1.16 COP 3,619

36.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.58 CA$20.18

$3.90 COP 12.2K

273.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.15 CA$16.81

$14.44 COP 45.1K

-15.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 CA$3.84

$1.58 COP 4,948

75.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 CA$5.02

$2.83 COP 8,836

27.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 CA$4.09

$1.17 COP 3,650

152.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.3 CA$135

$77.7 COP 242.9K

25.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 CA$3.82

$1.28 COP 4,014

115.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 CA$2.14

$2.09 COP 6,537

-25.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.22 CA$26.59

$8.62 COP 26.9K

122.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 CA$1.66

$1.30 COP 4,056

-7.69%

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

$29.0K CA$40.1K

$27.7K COP 86.4M

4.89%

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

$22.2K CA$30.7K

$35.5K COP 110.9M

-37.57%

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

$141 CA$195

$176 COP 550.1K

-20.05%

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

$37.17 CA$51.4

$13.37 COP 41.8K

178.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 CA$71.3

$29.89 COP 93.4K

72.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.10 CA$63.8

$44.76 COP 139.8K

2.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.94 CA$40.05

$17.06 COP 53.3K

69.64%

Cinema Ticket

$12.91 CA$17.86

$6.20 COP 19.4K

108.23%

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

$959 CA$1,327

$793 COP 2.5M

20.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K CA$22.7K

$9,019 COP 28.2M

81.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 CA$87.1

$85.6 COP 267.5K

-26.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.84 CA$53.7

$58.5 COP 182.7K

-33.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 CA$149

$136 COP 425.9K

-21.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 CA$139

$103 COP 322.2K

-2.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,501 CA$2,077

$1,060 COP 3.3M

41.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,258 CA$1,741

$680 COP 2.1M

85.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,326 CA$3,218

$2,012 COP 6.3M

15.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,916 CA$2,652

$1,169 COP 3.7M

64.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,418 CA$6,113

$4,111 COP 12.8M

7.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,702 CA$6,507

$1,701 COP 5.3M

176.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,760 CA$5,203

$665 COP 2.1M

465.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.17

10.94

-61.88%

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

Last update for Ottawa: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,501 in Ottawa versus $1,060 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 465% 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 $76.0 in Ottawa versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $372 vs $303 – 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 42%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,667 per month in Ottawa and $2,574 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 $76.0 in Ottawa and $48.00 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 $2,445 in Ottawa and $1,716 in Medellin. 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 $1,716, than in Ottawa at $2,445. 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.