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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,320 per month in Saguenay vs $1,014 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,369 per month in Saguenay vs $1,596 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,418 per month in Saguenay vs $2,178 in Medellin, rent included.

Saguenay costs about 30% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Saguenay and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Saguenay 2% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.38 CA$18.34

$6.14 COP 22.2K

117.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.87 CA$61.5

$33.05 COP 119.3K

35.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.13 CA$15.25

$7.32 COP 26.4K

52.05%

Cappuccino

$3.78 CA$5.18

$1.66 COP 5,987

127.71%

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

$1.52 CA$2.08

$1.10 COP 3,987

38.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 CA$1.78

$0.78 COP 2,822

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.39 CA$7.39

$1.71 COP 6,188

215.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 CA$7.25

$3.17 COP 11.5K

66.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 CA$2.97

$1.11 COP 4,012

95.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.98 CA$4.08

$1.31 COP 4,719

127.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.45 CA$6.09

$1.38 COP 4,980

222.46%

Eggs

$2.53 CA$3.47

$2.22 COP 8,009

13.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.77 CA$17.50

$4.34 COP 15.7K

194.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.89 CA$12.19

$5.80 COP 20.9K

53.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.86 CA$18.99

$8.98 COP 32.4K

54.34%

Apples (1kg)

$4.15 CA$5.68

$2.26 COP 8,164

83.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 CA$1.81

$1.11 COP 4,023

18.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.13 CA$5.66

$1.46 COP 5,284

182.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.10 CA$5.61

$1.37 COP 4,929

199.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 CA$2.53

$1.11 COP 4,009

65.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 CA$2.26

$1.16 COP 4,199

42.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 CA$3.58

$0.89 COP 3,211

193.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 CA$1.15

$0.87 COP 3,124

-3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.16 CA$16.66

$2.35 COP 8,495

417.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 CA$15.13

$10.86 COP 39.2K

1.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 CA$4.23

$1.20 COP 4,330

157.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 CA$2.71

$2.48 COP 8,946

-20.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.71 CA$3.72

$0.79 COP 2,842

243.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.1 CA$76.8

$40.77 COP 147.2K

37.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.64 CA$4.99

$1.42 COP 5,137

156.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 CA$2.78

$1.91 COP 6,900

6.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.86 CA$42.28

$7.65 COP 27.6K

303.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.59

$0.97 COP 3,490

19.59%

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

$25.2K CA$34.5K

$18.1K COP 65.3M

39.08%

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

$20.5K CA$28.1K

$26.3K COP 95.0M

-22.08%

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

$86.1 CA$118

$81.3 COP 293.5K

5.89%

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

$38.78 CA$53.1

$9.63 COP 34.8K

302.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.45 CA$59.5

$24.36 COP 88.0K

78.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.59 CA$44.65

$26.02 COP 93.9K

25.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.01 CA$19.20

$18.92 COP 68.3K

-25.95%

Cinema Ticket

$9.55 CA$13.09

$3.89 COP 14.0K

145.50%

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

$600 CA$822

$304 COP 1.1M

97.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,285 CA$8,611

$5,902 COP 21.3M

6.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.5 CA$82.9

$58.7 COP 211.8K

3.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.7 CA$72.2

$32.48 COP 117.2K

62.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.1 CA$133

$102 COP 367.3K

-4.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 CA$177

$108 COP 390.4K

19.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$614 CA$841

$474 COP 1.7M

29.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$295 CA$404

$371 COP 1.3M

-20.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 CA$1,792

$848 COP 3.1M

54.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 CA$1,492

$716 COP 2.6M

52.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,853 CA$8,019

$2,871 COP 10.4M

103.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,609 CA$4,944

$1,375 COP 5.0M

162.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,650 CA$3,630

$542 COP 2.0M

389.25%

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: April 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $614 in Saguenay versus $474 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 389% 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 in Saguenay versus $33 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $190 – 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 30%, 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 $1,980 per month in Saguenay and $1,522 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 $1,320 in Saguenay and $1,014 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 $1,014, than in Saguenay at $1,320. 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.