Cost of Living Comparison Between Saanich and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Saanich and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,557 per month in Saanich vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,595 per month in Saanich vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,633 per month in Saanich vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Saanich costs about 153% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Saanich sits 91% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.59 CA$20.27

$5.99 COP 21.4K

143.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.1 CA$93.2

$32.86 COP 117.2K

104.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.88 CA$15.12

$7.09 COP 25.3K

53.46%

Cappuccino

$3.87 CA$5.38

$1.71 COP 6,105

126.32%

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

$2.24 CA$3.11

$1.10 COP 3,918

103.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 CA$2.52

$0.78 COP 2,776

132.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.30 CA$7.36

$1.68 COP 5,987

215.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.66 CA$9.25

$3.07 COP 10.9K

116.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 CA$2.40

$1.09 COP 3,899

58.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.82

$1.26 COP 4,500

118.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.29 CA$7.35

$1.38 COP 4,914

283.33%

Eggs

$3.60 CA$5.01

$2.19 COP 7,813

64.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.16 CA$15.51

$4.40 COP 15.7K

153.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.84 CA$17.85

$5.63 COP 20.1K

128.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.15 CA$18.27

$8.89 COP 31.7K

47.92%

Apples (1kg)

$4.41 CA$6.13

$2.34 COP 8,334

88.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 CA$2.23

$1.06 COP 3,771

50.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 CA$6.27

$1.50 COP 5,365

200.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 CA$6.78

$1.38 COP 4,915

253.62%

Potato (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.24

$1.15 COP 4,104

227.83%

Onion (1kg)

$3.27 CA$4.54

$1.16 COP 4,148

181.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.65 CA$3.68

$0.89 COP 3,176

197.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 CA$3.49

$0.84 COP 2,992

198.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.85 CA$16.47

$2.28 COP 8,131

419.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.65 CA$21.74

$10.64 COP 37.9K

47.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.87 CA$5.38

$1.20 COP 4,276

222.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 CA$6.33

$2.47 COP 8,809

84.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.88 CA$2.61

$0.86 COP 3,051

118.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.7 CA$112

$41.40 COP 147.6K

94.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 CA$3.75

$1.47 COP 5,255

83.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 CA$1.91

$1.96 COP 6,997

-30.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.68 CA$45.40

$7.74 COP 27.6K

322.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 CA$1.88

$0.95 COP 3,403

42.11%

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

$25.3K CA$35.2K

$18.1K COP 64.6M

39.78%

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

$21.3K CA$29.5K

$26.5K COP 94.4M

-19.76%

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

$136 CA$189

$82.3 COP 293.2K

65.54%

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

$21.17 CA$29.41

$9.50 COP 33.9K

122.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.0 CA$100

$24.23 COP 86.4K

197.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 CA$103

$25.89 COP 92.3K

185.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

Cinema Ticket

$11.65 CA$16.19

$3.93 COP 14.0K

196.44%

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

$626 CA$870

$309 COP 1.1M

102.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K CA$19.7K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

138.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 CA$81.1

$58.7 COP 209.1K

-0.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.36 CA$50.5

$32.35 COP 115.3K

12.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.4 CA$134

$103 COP 365.7K

-6.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 CA$156

$108 COP 386.5K

3.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,480 CA$2,056

$476 COP 1.7M

210.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,359 CA$1,889

$379 COP 1.4M

258.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,129 CA$2,958

$838 COP 3.0M

153.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,919 CA$2,666

$724 COP 2.6M

165.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,368 CA$6,069

$2,791 COP 9.9M

56.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,304 CA$4,590

$1,211 COP 4.3M

172.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,943 CA$4,089

$512 COP 1.8M

475.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.18

13.43

-53.98%

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

Last update for Saanich: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,480 in Saanich 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 475% higher in Saanich, 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 $67.0 in Saanich versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $410 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

Saanich vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Saanich is pricier by about 153%, 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 $3,836 per month in Saanich 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 $67.0 in Saanich 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 $2,557 in Saanich 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 Saanich at $2,557. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saanich 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, Saanich makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.