Cost of Living Comparison Between Quebec City and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Quebec City and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,992 per month in Quebec City vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,880 per month in Quebec City vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,769 per month in Quebec City vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Quebec City costs about 93% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Quebec City sits 49% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.88 CA$23.67

$6.16 COP 20.0K

174.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.8 CA$92.2

$32.60 COP 106.0K

101.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.01 CA$15.44

$7.34 COP 23.9K

50.00%

Cappuccino

$3.78 CA$5.30

$1.72 COP 5,592

119.77%

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

$2.05 CA$2.87

$1.05 COP 3,416

95.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.04

$0.77 COP 2,511

88.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.49

$1.69 COP 5,480

257.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.17 CA$8.65

$3.17 COP 10.3K

94.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 CA$2.97

$1.05 COP 3,418

101.90%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 CA$4.56

$1.30 COP 4,230

150.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.48 CA$6.28

$1.40 COP 4,538

220.00%

Eggs

$3.06 CA$4.29

$2.16 COP 7,037

41.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.95 CA$18.16

$4.39 COP 14.3K

194.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.90 CA$15.28

$5.88 COP 19.1K

85.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.15 CA$19.84

$8.64 COP 28.1K

63.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.94 CA$5.53

$2.28 COP 7,415

72.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 CA$2.36

$1.11 COP 3,599

51.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.23 CA$5.93

$1.53 COP 4,976

176.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.10 CA$5.75

$1.35 COP 4,405

203.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.88 CA$2.64

$1.13 COP 3,669

66.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 CA$3.41

$1.13 COP 3,687

115.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 CA$3.77

$0.85 COP 2,749

216.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 CA$2.24

$0.91 COP 2,971

74.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.92 CA$18.12

$2.34 COP 7,619

452.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.46 CA$16.07

$12.37 COP 40.2K

-7.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.18 CA$4.46

$1.20 COP 3,904

165.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 CA$5.53

$2.49 COP 8,094

58.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.68 CA$3.76

$0.84 COP 2,724

219.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.4 CA$95.9

$40.57 COP 131.9K

68.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.79 CA$5.31

$1.42 COP 4,617

166.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.27 CA$3.18

$1.92 COP 6,227

18.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.73 CA$43.08

$7.66 COP 24.9K

301.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 CA$1.69

$0.99 COP 3,219

21.21%

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

$24.8K CA$34.8K

$18.0K COP 58.6M

37.61%

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

$20.0K CA$28.0K

$26.6K COP 86.6M

-24.92%

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

$87.5 CA$123

$80.8 COP 262.7K

8.27%

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

$38.52 CA$54.0

$9.95 COP 32.3K

287.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.83 CA$62.8

$24.18 COP 78.6K

85.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.10 CA$59.0

$25.08 COP 81.5K

67.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.71 CA$20.62

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-23.19%

Cinema Ticket

$11.00 CA$15.42

$3.98 COP 13.0K

176.38%

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

$821 CA$1,151

$305 COP 992.2K

169.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,164 CA$8,641

$6,059 COP 19.7M

1.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.5 CA$84.8

$58.1 COP 189.0K

3.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.9 CA$75.6

$32.20 COP 104.7K

67.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 CA$158

$101 COP 327.5K

12.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 CA$178

$108 COP 350.3K

17.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$900 CA$1,261

$477 COP 1.5M

88.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$823 CA$1,154

$376 COP 1.2M

118.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 CA$2,098

$845 COP 2.7M

77.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 CA$1,673

$730 COP 2.4M

63.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,673 CA$7,954

$3,215 COP 10.5M

76.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,809 CA$3,938

$1,372 COP 4.5M

104.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,803 CA$3,929

$617 COP 2.0M

354.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.87

13.43

-48.85%

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

Last update for Quebec City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $900 in Quebec City 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 354% higher in Quebec City, 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 $66.0 in Quebec City versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $374 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

Quebec City vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Quebec City is pricier by about 93%, 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 $2,987 per month in Quebec City 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 $66.0 in Quebec City 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 $1,992 in Quebec City 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 Quebec City at $1,992. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Quebec City 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, Quebec City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.