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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,463 per month in Ottawa vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,588 per month in Ottawa vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,713 per month in Ottawa vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Ottawa costs about 139% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ottawa sits 84% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.61 CA$26.19

$6.16 COP 20.1K

202.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.2 CA$104

$32.60 COP 106.1K

127.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.48 CA$16.15

$7.34 COP 23.9K

56.40%

Cappuccino

$4.01 CA$5.64

$1.72 COP 5,599

133.14%

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

$2.16 CA$3.04

$1.05 COP 3,420

105.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.32

$0.77 COP 2,515

114.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 CA$8.32

$1.69 COP 5,487

249.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.26

$3.17 COP 10.3K

107.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 CA$3.37

$1.05 COP 3,423

128.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 CA$3.90

$1.30 COP 4,236

113.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.30 CA$4.65

$1.40 COP 4,544

135.71%

Eggs

$3.67 CA$5.17

$2.16 COP 7,046

69.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.37 CA$16.00

$4.39 COP 14.3K

159.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.14 CA$18.50

$5.88 COP 19.1K

123.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.66 CA$22.03

$8.64 COP 28.1K

81.25%

Apples (1kg)

$4.39 CA$6.17

$2.28 COP 7,425

92.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 CA$1.91

$1.11 COP 3,603

22.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.50 CA$4.92

$1.53 COP 4,982

128.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.18

$1.35 COP 4,410

172.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 CA$3.63

$1.13 COP 3,674

128.32%

Onion (1kg)

$3.17 CA$4.46

$1.13 COP 3,692

180.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 CA$3.19

$0.85 COP 2,753

167.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 CA$2.11

$0.91 COP 2,975

64.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.92 CA$19.58

$2.34 COP 7,629

494.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.70 CA$15.06

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-13.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 CA$3.37

$1.20 COP 3,909

99.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 CA$4.34

$2.49 COP 8,104

24.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 CA$4.20

$0.84 COP 2,727

254.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.1 CA$139

$40.57 COP 132.1K

144.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 CA$3.96

$1.42 COP 4,623

97.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.05

$1.92 COP 6,235

-23.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.69 CA$27.71

$7.66 COP 24.9K

157.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.63

$0.99 COP 3,223

17.17%

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

$25.0K CA$35.2K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

38.86%

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

$22.3K CA$31.4K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-16.13%

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

$158 CA$222

$80.8 COP 263.1K

95.57%

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

$43.32 CA$61.0

$9.95 COP 32.4K

335.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.3 CA$73.6

$24.18 COP 78.7K

116.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.95 CA$67.5

$25.08 COP 81.6K

91.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.06 CA$22.60

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-16.14%

Cinema Ticket

$11.21 CA$15.78

$3.98 COP 13.0K

181.66%

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

$891 CA$1,253

$305 COP 993.4K

191.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.4K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

163.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 CA$77.4

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-5.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.03 CA$57.7

$32.20 COP 104.8K

27.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 CA$127

$101 COP 327.9K

-10.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.3 CA$134

$108 COP 350.8K

-11.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,481 CA$2,084

$477 COP 1.6M

210.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,259 CA$1,771

$376 COP 1.2M

234.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,326 CA$3,272

$845 COP 2.7M

175.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,936 CA$2,725

$730 COP 2.4M

165.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,441 CA$6,249

$3,215 COP 10.5M

38.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,678 CA$6,583

$1,372 COP 4.5M

240.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,546 CA$4,990

$617 COP 2.0M

474.95%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,481 in Ottawa 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 475% 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 $74.0 in Ottawa versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $370 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

Ottawa vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ottawa is pricier by about 139%, 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 $3,694 per month in Ottawa 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 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 $2,463 in Ottawa 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 Ottawa at $2,463. 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.