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 $1,960 per month in Quebec City vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,898 per month in Quebec City vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,837 per month in Quebec City vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Quebec City costs about 94% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Quebec City sits 46% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.70 CA$23.20

$5.99 COP 21.4K

178.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.4 CA$90.8

$32.86 COP 117.2K

98.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.15 CA$15.50

$7.09 COP 25.3K

57.26%

Cappuccino

$3.79 CA$5.26

$1.71 COP 6,105

121.64%

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

$2.04 CA$2.84

$1.10 COP 3,918

85.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$0.78 COP 2,776

87.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 CA$8.24

$1.68 COP 5,987

252.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.28 CA$8.73

$3.07 COP 10.9K

104.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 CA$2.93

$1.09 COP 3,899

93.58%

White Bread (500g)

$3.31 CA$4.59

$1.26 COP 4,500

162.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.27 CA$5.93

$1.38 COP 4,914

209.42%

Eggs

$3.11 CA$4.32

$2.19 COP 7,813

42.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.79 CA$17.77

$4.40 COP 15.7K

190.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.80 CA$15.01

$5.63 COP 20.1K

91.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.15 CA$19.66

$8.89 COP 31.7K

59.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 CA$5.52

$2.34 COP 8,334

70.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 CA$2.33

$1.06 COP 3,771

58.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.22 CA$5.86

$1.50 COP 5,365

181.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.70

$1.38 COP 4,915

197.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.89 CA$2.62

$1.15 COP 4,104

64.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.51 CA$3.49

$1.16 COP 4,148

116.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.67

$0.89 COP 3,176

196.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 CA$2.20

$0.84 COP 2,992

88.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.86 CA$17.87

$2.28 COP 8,131

464.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.59 CA$16.11

$10.64 COP 37.9K

8.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 CA$4.35

$1.20 COP 4,276

160.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 CA$5.44

$2.47 COP 8,809

58.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 CA$3.91

$0.86 COP 3,051

227.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.9 CA$95.8

$41.40 COP 147.6K

66.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.78 CA$5.26

$1.47 COP 5,255

157.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.26 CA$3.15

$1.96 COP 6,997

15.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.35 CA$43.56

$7.74 COP 27.6K

305.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 CA$1.73

$0.95 COP 3,403

30.53%

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

$24.9K CA$34.6K

$18.1K COP 64.6M

37.35%

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

$19.7K CA$27.4K

$26.5K COP 94.4M

-25.57%

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

$86.9 CA$121

$82.3 COP 293.2K

5.60%

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

$38.53 CA$53.5

$9.50 COP 33.9K

305.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.57 CA$61.9

$24.23 COP 86.4K

83.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.03 CA$58.4

$25.89 COP 92.3K

62.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.63 CA$20.33

$19.00 COP 67.7K

-23.00%

Cinema Ticket

$10.88 CA$15.12

$3.93 COP 14.0K

176.84%

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

$845 CA$1,175

$309 COP 1.1M

173.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,217 CA$8,638

$5,965 COP 21.3M

4.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.4 CA$85.3

$58.7 COP 209.1K

4.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.6 CA$74.5

$32.35 COP 115.3K

65.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 CA$157

$103 COP 365.7K

10.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 CA$178

$108 COP 386.5K

18.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$905 CA$1,258

$476 COP 1.7M

90.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$829 CA$1,152

$379 COP 1.4M

118.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,505 CA$2,090

$838 COP 3.0M

79.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,157 CA$1,608

$724 COP 2.6M

59.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,881 CA$8,171

$2,791 COP 9.9M

110.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,842 CA$3,948

$1,211 COP 4.3M

134.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,832 CA$3,934

$512 COP 1.8M

453.31%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $905 in Quebec City 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 453% 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 $65.0 in Quebec City versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $373 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

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

Yes – Quebec City is pricier by about 94%, 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 $2,940 per month in Quebec City 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 $65.0 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 $1,960 in Quebec City 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 Quebec City at $1,960. 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.