Cost of Living Comparison Between St. Albert, AB and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between St. Albert, AB and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,430 per month in St. Albert, AB vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,120 per month in St. Albert, AB vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,810 per month in St. Albert, AB vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

St. Albert, AB costs about 142% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

St. Albert, AB sits 83% above the global median, while Medellin is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.44 CA$25.84

$5.91 COP 18.6K

212.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.4 CA$91.6

$32.96 COP 103.8K

98.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.88 CA$15.24

$7.43 COP 23.4K

46.43%

Cappuccino

$3.86 CA$5.41

$1.65 COP 5,207

133.94%

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

$2.10 CA$2.94

$1.10 COP 3,468

90.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 CA$2.55

$0.78 COP 2,458

133.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.02 CA$7.03

$1.72 COP 5,412

191.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 CA$8.13

$3.18 COP 10.0K

82.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.08 CA$2.91

$1.10 COP 3,474

89.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.81

$1.26 COP 3,962

115.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.23 CA$4.53

$1.38 COP 4,349

134.06%

Eggs

$3.35 CA$4.69

$2.18 COP 6,858

53.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.87 CA$19.44

$4.49 COP 14.1K

208.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.83 CA$17.98

$5.79 COP 18.2K

121.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.90 CA$22.28

$8.97 COP 28.2K

77.26%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 CA$6.07

$2.32 COP 7,308

86.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 CA$1.93

$1.06 COP 3,352

30.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.69 CA$5.17

$1.52 COP 4,774

142.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.01 CA$5.61

$1.36 COP 4,270

194.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 CA$3.76

$1.13 COP 3,552

138.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 CA$3.83

$1.17 COP 3,689

133.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.71 CA$3.80

$0.90 COP 2,838

201.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 CA$2.60

$0.90 COP 2,823

106.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.63 CA$20.50

$2.23 COP 7,034

556.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.13 CA$16.99

$12.12 COP 38.2K

0.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 CA$4.14

$1.19 COP 3,743

147.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 CA$4.43

$2.48 COP 7,815

27.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.16 CA$3.02

$0.85 COP 2,687

154.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.3 CA$90.1

$41.62 COP 131.0K

54.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 CA$4.92

$1.42 COP 4,459

147.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 CA$1.91

$1.95 COP 6,141

-30.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.72 CA$33.25

$7.89 COP 24.8K

200.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 CA$1.46

$0.99 COP 3,118

6.06%

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

$25.2K CA$35.4K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

43.37%

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

$22.0K CA$30.8K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-17.92%

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

$199 CA$279

$83.0 COP 261.4K

139.48%

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

$41.57 CA$58.3

$9.70 COP 30.5K

328.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.9 CA$82.6

$23.52 COP 74.1K

150.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.67 CA$57.0

$25.26 COP 79.5K

61.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$12.62 CA$17.68

$3.95 COP 12.4K

219.49%

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

$709 CA$994

$316 COP 994.2K

124.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K CA$16.2K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

94.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 CA$82.9

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-1.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.07 CA$59.0

$31.82 COP 100.2K

32.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.8 CA$116

$102 COP 320.1K

-18.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$148

$107 COP 338.3K

-1.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,321 CA$1,851

$475 COP 1.5M

178.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,174 CA$1,644

$374 COP 1.2M

213.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,384 CA$1,940

$849 COP 2.7M

63.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,160 CA$1,625

$719 COP 2.3M

61.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,571 CA$3,602

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-21.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,532 CA$3,549

$1,441 COP 4.5M

75.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,224 CA$4,518

$624 COP 2.0M

416.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

13.43

-54.73%

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

Last update for St. Albert, AB: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,321 in St. Albert, AB versus $475 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 416% higher in St. Albert, AB, 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 $65.0 in St. Albert, AB versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $385 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

St. Albert, AB vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – St. Albert, AB is pricier by about 142%, 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 $3,646 per month in St. Albert, AB and $1,504 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 $65.0 in St. Albert, AB 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 $2,430 in St. Albert, AB and $1,003 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 $1,003, than in St. Albert, AB at $2,430. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in St. Albert, AB 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, St. Albert, AB makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.