Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Red Deer and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,625 a month against $2,225 in Red Deer, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Red Deer
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,225
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,625
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Red Deer and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Red Deer and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,225 per month in Red Deer vs $1,625 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Red Deer $2,225
  • Medellin $1,625

A couple spends around $3,182 per month in Red Deer vs $2,412 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Red Deer $3,182
  • Medellin $2,412

A family of three spends $4,138 per month in Red Deer vs $3,199 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Red Deer $4,138
  • Medellin $3,199

Red Deer costs about 37% more than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Red Deer and Medellin sit above the global median – Red Deer by 64%, Medellin by 20%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Red Deer
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.05 CA$26.93
$8.30 COP 26.3K
129.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$59.2 CA$83.7
$46.91 COP 148.7K
26.24%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.26 CA$15.92
$9.24 COP 29.3K
21.86%
Cappuccino
$5.39 CA$7.62
$3.05 COP 9,676
76.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05 CA$2.89
$1.80 COP 5,707
13.89%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.12 CA$2.99
$1.38 COP 4,382
53.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.46 CA$7.71
$3.24 COP 10.3K
68.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.77 CA$9.57
$5.56 COP 17.6K
21.76%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Red Deer
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.76 CA$2.49
$1.50 COP 4,760
17.33%
White Bread (500g)
$2.78 CA$3.93
$2.37 COP 7,508
17.30%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.42 CA$4.84
$1.70 COP 5,377
101.18%
Eggs
$3.38 CA$4.77
$2.96 COP 9,379
14.19%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.05 CA$14.21
$10.22 COP 32.4K
-1.66%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$16.72 CA$23.63
$9.74 COP 30.9K
71.66%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.42 CA$24.63
$13.90 COP 44.1K
25.32%
Apples (1kg)
$6.90 CA$9.75
$4.13 COP 13.1K
67.07%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 CA$2.38
$1.53 COP 4,839
10.46%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.43 CA$3.44
$2.22 COP 7,052
9.46%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.57 CA$7.88
$2.27 COP 7,194
145.37%
Potato (1kg)
$5.46 CA$7.72
$1.99 COP 6,311
174.37%
Onion (1kg)
$2.18 CA$3.08
$1.67 COP 5,285
30.54%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.14 CA$4.44
$1.18 COP 3,742
166.10%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.75 CA$3.89
$1.24 COP 3,919
121.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$15.58 CA$22.03
$3.87 COP 12.3K
302.58%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.93 CA$19.70
$13.78 COP 43.7K
1.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.66 COP 5,256
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.20 CA$8.77
$2.40 COP 7,615
158.33%
🚌 Getting Around
Red Deer
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.18 CA$3.08
$1.24 COP 3,944
75.81%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$51.3 CA$72.5
$78.2 COP 248.0K
-34.41%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.69 CA$3.80
$1.28 COP 4,044
110.16%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.38 CA$1.95
$2.15 COP 6,803
-35.81%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$23.06 CA$32.60
$8.37 COP 26.5K
175.51%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.07 CA$1.51
$1.35 COP 4,288
-20.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.8K CA$35.1K
$34.8K COP 110.2M
-28.55%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.6K CA$29.1K
$34.7K COP 110.0M
-40.59%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Red Deer
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$177 CA$250
$167 COP 528.4K
5.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$64.5 CA$91.1
$13.62 COP 43.2K
373.20%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$64.0 CA$90.5
$29.12 COP 92.3K
119.88%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Red Deer
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.34 CA$51.4
$45.09 COP 143.0K
-19.41%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.50 CA$14.84
$17.18 COP 54.5K
-38.88%
Cinema Ticket
$10.48 CA$14.81
$6.97 COP 22.1K
50.36%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Red Deer
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$790 COP 2.5M
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$9,041 COP 28.7M
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Red Deer
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.4 CA$71.3
$87.8 COP 278.4K
-42.55%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.10 CA$48.21
$58.2 COP 184.4K
-41.36%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$76.7 CA$108
$139 COP 440.7K
-44.85%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106 CA$149
$98.9 COP 313.5K
6.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Red Deer
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,037 CA$1,467
$1,028 COP 3.3M
0.90%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$937 CA$1,325
$620 COP 2.0M
51.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,548 CA$2,189
$1,881 COP 6.0M
-17.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,322 CA$1,869
$1,008 COP 3.2M
31.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,712 CA$3,834
$3,988 COP 12.6M
-31.99%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,686 CA$3,798
$1,702 COP 5.4M
57.85%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Red Deer
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,043 CA$4,302
$663 COP 2.1M
358.76%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.8
10.94
-46.98%

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

Last update for Red Deer: October 18, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Red Deer
$937
Medellin
$619 33.9% $318
Groceries & Markets
Red Deer
$427 *
Medellin
$298 30.3% $129
Eating Out
Red Deer
$308
Medellin
$171 44.6% $138
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Red Deer
$305
Medellin
$209 31.3% $96
Clothing & Footwear
Red Deer
$120
Medellin
$173 43.8% $53
Getting Around
Red Deer
$70
Medellin
$95 36.8% $26
Sport & Entertainment
Red Deer
$57
Medellin
$59 3% $1.7

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,037 in Red Deer versus $1,028 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 359% higher in Red Deer, 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 $59.0 in Red Deer versus $47.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $427 vs $298 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Red Deer
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
23:22 11:22 PM
00:22 12:22 AM
1 h ahead of Red Deer
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
100,418
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Red Deer Medellin 6,190 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Red Deer
  • Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Red Deer vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Red Deer?
Yes – Red Deer is pricier by about 37%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,338 per month in Red Deer and $2,437 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 52% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
How do food prices compare in Red Deer and in Medellin?
Groceries cost about 43% more in Red Deer, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Red Deer or in Medellin?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,625, than in Red Deer at $2,225. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Red Deer it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Red Deer or Medellin more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Red Deer makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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