Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Saguenay and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Saguenay: $1,427 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $2,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Medellin outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Saguenay, Canada
Medellin, Colombia
Saguenay
🇨🇦 Canada
$1,427
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Saguenay 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 Saguenay and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,427 per month in Saguenay vs $1,639 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Saguenay $1,427
  • Medellin $1,639

A couple spends around $2,280 per month in Saguenay vs $2,413 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Saguenay $2,280
  • Medellin $2,413

A family of three spends $3,132 per month in Saguenay vs $3,186 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Saguenay $3,132
  • Medellin $3,186

Saguenay is about 13% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Saguenay and Medellin sit above the global median – Saguenay by 5%, Medellin by 20%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Saguenay
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.39 CA$21.50
$8.09 COP 26.1K
90.23%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.46 CA$60.7
$47.05 COP 151.9K
-7.63%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.53 CA$14.72
$9.50 COP 30.7K
10.84%
Cappuccino
$3.84 CA$5.36
$3.01 COP 9,735
27.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.53 CA$2.14
$1.80 COP 5,809
-15.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.23 CA$1.71
$1.41 COP 4,561
-12.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.45 CA$7.61
$3.18 COP 10.3K
71.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.30 CA$7.40
$5.75 COP 18.6K
-7.83%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Saguenay
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.14 CA$2.99
$1.51 COP 4,876
41.72%
White Bread (500g)
$2.88 CA$4.02
$2.38 COP 7,678
21.01%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.29 CA$6.00
$1.77 COP 5,720
142.37%
Eggs
$2.79 CA$3.90
$2.89 COP 9,333
-3.46%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.63 CA$12.06
$10.19 COP 32.9K
-15.31%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.17 CA$10.02
$9.87 COP 31.9K
-27.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.63 CA$14.85
$13.99 COP 45.2K
-24.02%
Apples (1kg)
$4.09 CA$5.72
$3.97 COP 12.8K
3.02%
Banana (1kg)
$1.41 CA$1.97
$1.55 COP 5,012
-9.03%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.87 CA$5.41
$2.18 COP 7,048
77.52%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.14 CA$5.79
$2.18 COP 7,051
89.91%
Potato (1kg)
$2.91 CA$4.06
$1.96 COP 6,337
48.47%
Onion (1kg)
$2.80 CA$3.92
$1.59 COP 5,132
76.10%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.45 CA$3.43
$1.15 COP 3,699
113.04%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.76 CA$1.06
$1.24 COP 4,014
-38.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.22 CA$17.08
$3.96 COP 12.8K
208.59%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.61 CA$16.22
$13.68 COP 44.2K
-15.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.20 CA$4.46
$1.66 COP 5,359
92.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.40 CA$4.74
$2.26 COP 7,291
50.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Saguenay
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.61 CA$3.64
$1.17 COP 3,771
123.08%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.5 CA$79.0
$77.4 COP 249.8K
-26.95%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.95 CA$4.12
$1.27 COP 4,094
132.28%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.43 CA$2.00
$2.05 COP 6,612
-30.24%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$28.38 CA$39.65
$8.55 COP 27.6K
231.93%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.21 CA$1.69
$1.35 COP 4,349
-10.37%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K CA$38.9K
$34.1K COP 110.0M
-18.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.6K CA$27.4K
$34.7K COP 111.9M
-43.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Saguenay
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$64.4 CA$90.0
$170 COP 547.8K
-62.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$32.29 CA$45.11
$13.55 COP 43.8K
138.30%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$45.01 CA$62.9
$28.07 COP 90.6K
60.35%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Saguenay
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.03 CA$34.96
$43.70 COP 141.1K
-42.72%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.54 CA$27.30
$17.19 COP 55.5K
13.67%
Cinema Ticket
$9.52 CA$13.31
$6.91 COP 22.3K
37.77%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Saguenay
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$702 CA$981
$797 COP 2.6M
-11.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,123 CA$12.7K
$9,112 COP 29.4M
0.12%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Saguenay
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.2 CA$78.6
$84.7 COP 273.5K
-33.62%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.19 CA$50.6
$58.0 COP 187.2K
-37.56%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$83.9 CA$117
$135 COP 435.8K
-37.80%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 CA$150
$97.9 COP 316.0K
9.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Saguenay
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$618 CA$864
$1,208 COP 3.9M
-48.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$470 CA$657
$642 COP 2.1M
-26.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 CA$1,663
$2,028 COP 6.5M
-41.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$970 CA$1,355
$1,012 COP 3.3M
-4.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,670 CA$7,921
$4,170 COP 13.5M
35.96%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,522 CA$4,921
$1,910 COP 6.2M
84.37%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Saguenay
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,554 CA$3,567
$657 COP 2.1M
288.58%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.44
10.94
-59.41%

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

Last update for Saguenay: October 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Saguenay
$470
Medellin
$642 36.4% $171
Groceries & Markets
Saguenay
$317
Medellin
$297 6.2% $20
Eating Out
Saguenay
$250
Medellin
$170 32% $80
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Saguenay
$142
Medellin
$211 49.1% $70
Clothing & Footwear
Saguenay
$128
Medellin
$169 32.3% $41
Getting Around
Saguenay
$77
Medellin
$94 21.4% $17
Sport & Entertainment
Saguenay
$44
Medellin
$58 30.5% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $618 in Saguenay versus $1,208 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 in Saguenay are about 3.9 times higher, 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 $43 in Saguenay versus $47 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $317 in Saguenay vs $297 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Saguenay
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
03:09 3:09 AM
03:09 3:09 AM
Same time as Saguenay
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
144,723
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.716 USD). 1 EUR = 1.56 CAD (1 CAD = 0.641 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,603 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Saguenay Medellin 4,700 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Saguenay
  • 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
Saguenay vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Saguenay cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 15%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,140 per month in Saguenay and $2,459 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 Saguenay, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $618 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.
Is eating out cheaper in Saguenay or in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Saguenay and $47 in Medellin. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Saguenay and in Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,427 in Saguenay and $1,639 in Medellin. That makes Saguenay about 13% cheaper.
Is $2,000 enough for either Saguenay or Medellin?
$2,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,427 in Saguenay and $1,639 in Medellin, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Saguenay or Medellin more family-friendly?
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.

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