Cost of Living Comparison Between Thompson and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Thompson and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,825 per month in Thompson vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,799 per month in Thompson vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,773 per month in Thompson vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Thompson costs about 82% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Thompson sits 37% above the global median, while Medellin is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.18 CA$24.11

$5.91 COP 18.9K

190.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.9 CA$99.6

$32.96 COP 105.2K

115.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.13 CA$15.63

$7.43 COP 23.7K

49.80%

Cappuccino

$3.87 CA$5.43

$1.65 COP 5,276

134.55%

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

$2.06 CA$2.89

$1.10 COP 3,514

87.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.43

$0.78 COP 2,491

121.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.53 CA$7.76

$1.72 COP 5,484

221.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.72 CA$8.02

$3.18 COP 10.1K

79.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 CA$2.95

$1.10 COP 3,521

90.91%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CA$3.75

$1.26 COP 4,015

111.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.50 CA$4.91

$1.38 COP 4,407

153.62%

Eggs

$3.52 CA$4.94

$2.18 COP 6,950

61.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.34 CA$15.91

$4.49 COP 14.3K

152.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.84 CA$16.62

$5.79 COP 18.5K

104.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 CA$20.24

$8.97 COP 28.6K

60.76%

Apples (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.66

$2.32 COP 7,405

73.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 CA$1.94

$1.06 COP 3,397

30.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.64 CA$5.11

$1.52 COP 4,838

139.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.39

$1.36 COP 4,327

182.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.38 CA$3.35

$1.13 COP 3,599

110.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.60

$1.17 COP 3,738

118.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 CA$3.50

$0.90 COP 2,876

177.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 CA$2.52

$0.90 COP 2,861

98.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.85 CA$19.45

$2.23 COP 7,128

521.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.45 CA$17.47

$12.12 COP 38.7K

2.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 CA$3.95

$1.19 COP 3,793

136.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 CA$4.21

$2.48 COP 7,920

20.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.33 CA$3.27

$0.85 COP 2,723

174.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.6 CA$87.9

$41.62 COP 132.8K

50.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 CA$4.56

$1.42 COP 4,518

128.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CA$2.03

$1.95 COP 6,223

-25.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.62 CA$35.95

$7.89 COP 25.2K

224.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.58

$0.99 COP 3,160

14.14%

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

$25.1K CA$35.3K

$17.6K COP 56.2M

42.71%

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

$20.4K CA$28.6K

$26.8K COP 85.5M

-24.04%

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

$143 CA$200

$83.0 COP 264.9K

72.06%

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

$43.01 CA$60.4

$9.70 COP 30.9K

343.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.9 CA$86.8

$23.52 COP 75.0K

162.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.37 CA$58.1

$25.26 COP 80.6K

63.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

Cinema Ticket

$11.43 CA$16.04

$3.95 COP 12.6K

189.37%

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

$742 CA$1,041

$316 COP 1.0M

134.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K CA$16.4K

$5,975 COP 19.1M

95.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 CA$77.0

$60.0 COP 191.4K

-8.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.99 CA$56.1

$31.82 COP 101.5K

25.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 CA$122

$102 COP 324.4K

-14.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$149

$107 COP 342.8K

-1.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$700 CA$983

$475 COP 1.5M

47.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$699 CA$981

$374 COP 1.2M

86.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,149 CA$1,612

$849 COP 2.7M

35.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,145 CA$1,607

$719 COP 2.3M

59.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,532 CA$6,361

$3,265 COP 10.4M

38.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,120 CA$4,379

$1,441 COP 4.6M

116.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,552 CA$2,179

$624 COP 2.0M

148.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

13.43

-51.90%

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

Last update for Thompson: July 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $700 in Thompson 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 149% higher in Thompson, 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 $71.0 in Thompson versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $363 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

Thompson vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Thompson is pricier by about 82%, 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 $2,737 per month in Thompson 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 $71.0 in Thompson 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 $1,825 in Thompson 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 Thompson at $1,825. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Thompson 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, Thompson makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.