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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,332 per month in Saguenay vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,353 per month in Saguenay vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Saguenay vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Saguenay costs about 29% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Saguenay sits 0% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.01 CA$18.31

$6.16 COP 20.1K

111.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.95 CA$63.3

$32.60 COP 106.1K

37.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.22 CA$15.79

$7.34 COP 23.9K

52.86%

Cappuccino

$3.91 CA$5.50

$1.72 COP 5,599

127.33%

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

$1.52 CA$2.13

$1.05 COP 3,420

44.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 CA$1.79

$0.77 COP 2,515

64.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.59 CA$7.86

$1.69 COP 5,487

230.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.09 CA$7.16

$3.17 COP 10.3K

60.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CA$3.07

$1.05 COP 3,423

107.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.98 CA$4.19

$1.30 COP 4,236

129.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.45 CA$6.27

$1.40 COP 4,544

217.86%

Eggs

$2.60 CA$3.66

$2.16 COP 7,046

20.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.81 CA$18.02

$4.39 COP 14.3K

191.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.59 CA$12.08

$5.88 COP 19.1K

46.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.73 CA$19.32

$8.64 COP 28.1K

58.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.99 CA$5.61

$2.28 COP 7,425

75.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 CA$1.76

$1.11 COP 3,603

12.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.95 CA$5.56

$1.53 COP 4,982

158.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.96 CA$5.57

$1.35 COP 4,410

193.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 CA$2.75

$1.13 COP 3,674

73.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 CA$2.24

$1.13 COP 3,692

40.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 CA$3.64

$0.85 COP 2,753

204.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 CA$1.16

$0.91 COP 2,975

-9.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.92 CA$16.77

$2.34 COP 7,629

409.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.24 CA$15.82

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-9.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.32

$1.20 COP 3,909

155.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 CA$2.81

$2.49 COP 8,104

-19.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 CA$3.97

$0.84 COP 2,727

235.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.8 CA$79.9

$40.57 COP 132.1K

39.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.66 CA$5.15

$1.42 COP 4,623

157.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 CA$2.75

$1.92 COP 6,235

1.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.28 CA$44.02

$7.66 COP 24.9K

308.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 CA$1.62

$0.99 COP 3,223

16.16%

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

$25.0K CA$35.2K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

38.92%

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

$20.3K CA$28.6K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-23.73%

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

$87.2 CA$123

$80.8 COP 263.1K

7.92%

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

$38.88 CA$54.7

$9.95 COP 32.4K

290.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.25 CA$60.9

$24.18 COP 78.7K

78.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.57 CA$47.24

$25.08 COP 81.6K

33.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.11 CA$19.85

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-26.32%

Cinema Ticket

$9.74 CA$13.70

$3.98 COP 13.0K

144.72%

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

$613 CA$863

$305 COP 993.4K

101.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,342 CA$8,923

$6,059 COP 19.7M

4.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 CA$84.6

$58.1 COP 189.2K

3.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 CA$74.8

$32.20 COP 104.8K

65.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.1 CA$135

$101 COP 327.9K

-4.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 CA$180

$108 COP 350.8K

18.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 CA$862

$477 COP 1.6M

28.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$300 CA$422

$376 COP 1.2M

-20.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,299 CA$1,827

$845 COP 2.7M

53.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,065 CA$1,498

$730 COP 2.4M

45.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,707 CA$8,031

$3,215 COP 10.5M

77.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,425 CA$4,820

$1,372 COP 4.5M

149.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,588 CA$3,642

$617 COP 2.0M

319.62%

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 Saguenay: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Saguenay versus $477 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 320% higher in Saguenay, 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 $45.00 in Saguenay versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $337 vs $193 – 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

Saguenay vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Saguenay is pricier by about 29%, 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 $1,998 per month in Saguenay and $1,546 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 $45.00 in Saguenay 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 $1,332 in Saguenay and $1,031 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 $1,031, than in Saguenay at $1,332. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saguenay 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, Saguenay makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.