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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,310 per month in Saguenay vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,332 per month in Saguenay vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,353 per month in Saguenay vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

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

Both Saguenay and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Saguenay 2% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 CA$18.34

$5.99 COP 21.3K

120.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.32 CA$60.3

$32.86 COP 116.9K

31.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 CA$15.16

$7.09 COP 25.2K

53.74%

Cappuccino

$3.76 CA$5.23

$1.71 COP 6,093

119.88%

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

$1.59 CA$2.21

$1.10 COP 3,910

44.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 CA$1.76

$0.78 COP 2,771

62.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.49 CA$7.63

$1.68 COP 5,976

226.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.00 CA$6.96

$3.07 COP 10.9K

62.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CA$3.04

$1.09 COP 3,892

100.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 CA$4.02

$1.26 COP 4,492

129.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.46 CA$6.20

$1.38 COP 4,905

223.19%

Eggs

$2.62 CA$3.65

$2.19 COP 7,799

19.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.89 CA$17.93

$4.40 COP 15.7K

192.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.94 CA$12.43

$5.63 COP 20.0K

58.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.89 CA$19.32

$8.89 COP 31.6K

56.24%

Apples (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.60

$2.34 COP 8,319

71.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 CA$1.85

$1.06 COP 3,764

25.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.12 CA$5.73

$1.50 COP 5,355

174.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 CA$5.49

$1.38 COP 4,906

186.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 CA$2.70

$1.15 COP 4,097

68.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 CA$2.21

$1.16 COP 4,141

37.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.67

$0.89 COP 3,170

196.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 CA$1.23

$0.84 COP 2,986

4.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.23 CA$17.01

$2.28 COP 8,116

436.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.77 CA$16.36

$10.64 COP 37.9K

10.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.04 CA$4.22

$1.20 COP 4,268

153.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 CA$2.83

$2.47 COP 8,793

-17.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.70 CA$3.75

$0.86 COP 3,045

213.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 CA$76.9

$41.40 COP 147.3K

33.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.23

$1.47 COP 5,245

155.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 CA$2.82

$1.96 COP 6,984

3.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.36 CA$42.22

$7.74 COP 27.5K

292.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.62

$0.95 COP 3,397

22.11%

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

$25.0K CA$34.7K

$18.1K COP 64.5M

37.71%

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

$20.2K CA$28.1K

$26.5K COP 94.2M

-23.61%

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

$87.2 CA$121

$82.3 COP 292.7K

6.01%

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

$37.92 CA$52.7

$9.50 COP 33.8K

299.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.61 CA$62.0

$24.23 COP 86.2K

84.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.58 CA$45.31

$25.89 COP 92.1K

25.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.82 CA$19.22

$19.00 COP 67.6K

-27.26%

Cinema Ticket

$9.75 CA$13.56

$3.93 COP 14.0K

148.09%

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

$599 CA$832

$309 COP 1.1M

93.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,200 CA$8,623

$5,965 COP 21.2M

3.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 CA$85.5

$58.7 COP 208.7K

4.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 CA$72.9

$32.35 COP 115.1K

62.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.9 CA$133

$103 COP 365.1K

-6.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 CA$175

$108 COP 385.8K

16.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$609 CA$847

$476 COP 1.7M

27.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$300 CA$418

$379 COP 1.3M

-20.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,315 CA$1,829

$838 COP 3.0M

56.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,081 CA$1,504

$724 COP 2.6M

49.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,913 CA$8,223

$2,791 COP 9.9M

111.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,562 CA$4,954

$1,211 COP 4.3M

194.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,634 CA$3,663

$512 COP 1.8M

414.60%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $609 in Saguenay 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 415% 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 $43.00 in Saguenay versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $341 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

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 $1,965 per month in Saguenay 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 $43.00 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 $1,310 in Saguenay 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 Saguenay at $1,310. 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.