Cost of Living Comparison Between Saguenay and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Saguenay and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,426 per month in Saguenay vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,293 per month in Saguenay vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,161 per month in Saguenay vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Saguenay is about 15% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Saguenay and Medellin sit above the global median – Saguenay by 4%, Medellin by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.92 CA$22.27

$8.02 COP 25.0K

98.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.92 CA$61.4

$47.87 COP 149.4K

-8.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.45 CA$16.02

$9.89 COP 30.8K

15.77%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.22

$3.13 COP 9,767

19.17%

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

$1.50 CA$2.10

$1.91 COP 5,954

-21.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 CA$1.73

$1.51 COP 4,712

-17.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.30 CA$7.41

$3.12 COP 9,747

69.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.28 CA$7.38

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-8.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 CA$2.93

$1.44 COP 4,509

45.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 CA$4.22

$2.49 COP 7,759

21.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.35 CA$6.09

$1.77 COP 5,535

145.76%

Eggs

$2.86 CA$4.00

$2.96 COP 9,235

-3.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.87 CA$12.40

$10.07 COP 31.4K

-11.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.34 CA$10.26

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-27.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 CA$15.05

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-24.76%

Apples (1kg)

$4.17 CA$5.83

$4.14 COP 12.9K

0.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 CA$2.06

$1.61 COP 5,019

-8.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 CA$5.43

$2.25 COP 7,007

72.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.17 CA$5.83

$2.25 COP 7,028

85.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.98 CA$4.17

$2.04 COP 6,375

46.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.12

$1.54 COP 4,790

91.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CA$3.59

$1.17 COP 3,651

118.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 CA$1.13

$1.31 COP 4,077

-38.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.25 CA$17.14

$3.90 COP 12.2K

214.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.33 CA$15.85

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-19.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.22 CA$4.51

$1.74 COP 5,439

85.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 CA$4.63

$2.87 COP 8,956

15.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.78 CA$3.89

$1.22 COP 3,792

127.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.3 CA$80.2

$80.5 COP 251.1K

-28.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 CA$4.19

$1.31 COP 4,084

129.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 CA$2.00

$2.19 COP 6,825

-34.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.26 CA$39.54

$8.71 COP 27.2K

224.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 CA$1.61

$1.37 COP 4,260

-16.06%

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

$28.1K CA$39.3K

$27.8K COP 86.9M

0.85%

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

$19.9K CA$27.9K

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-44.33%

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

$64.5 CA$90.3

$177 COP 553.2K

-63.60%

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

$32.01 CA$44.77

$13.88 COP 43.3K

130.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.44 CA$65.0

$29.72 COP 92.8K

56.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.53 CA$35.71

$44.88 COP 140.1K

-43.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.21 CA$26.88

$17.12 COP 53.4K

12.21%

Cinema Ticket

$9.09 CA$12.72

$6.65 COP 20.7K

36.69%

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

$704 CA$985

$813 COP 2.5M

-13.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,323 CA$13.0K

$9,187 COP 28.7M

1.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 CA$82.0

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-34.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.43 CA$51.0

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-38.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.2 CA$121

$138 COP 431.2K

-37.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$152

$102 COP 318.7K

6.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$639 CA$895

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-39.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 CA$650

$663 COP 2.1M

-29.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,202 CA$1,681

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-36.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$971 CA$1,358

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-5.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,685 CA$7,952

$4,183 COP 13.1M

35.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,518 CA$4,922

$1,675 COP 5.2M

110.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,558 CA$3,578

$678 COP 2.1M

277.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.45

10.94

-59.32%

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

Last update for Saguenay: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $639 in Saguenay versus $1,062 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 277% higher in Saguenay, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Saguenay versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $322 in Saguenay vs $305 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Saguenay vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 18%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,139 per month in Saguenay and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Saguenay, 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 $44.00 in Saguenay and $48.00 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 $1,426 in Saguenay and $1,681 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Saguenay, where all-in costs run around $1,426, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Saguenay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Saguenay – 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 Saguenay. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.