Cost of Living Comparison Between Thunder Bay and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Thunder Bay and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,377 per month in Thunder Bay vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,506 per month in Thunder Bay vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,634 per month in Thunder Bay vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Thunder Bay costs about 131% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Thunder Bay sits 78% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.58 CA$26.15

$6.16 COP 20.1K

201.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.9 CA$84.3

$32.60 COP 106.1K

83.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.47 CA$17.55

$7.34 COP 23.9K

69.89%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.25

$1.72 COP 5,599

116.86%

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

$1.79 CA$2.53

$1.05 COP 3,420

70.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 CA$2.14

$0.77 COP 2,515

97.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.33 CA$7.50

$1.69 COP 5,487

215.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.26 CA$7.41

$3.17 COP 10.3K

65.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.55 CA$3.58

$1.05 COP 3,423

142.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 CA$3.58

$1.30 COP 4,236

95.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.50 CA$4.92

$1.40 COP 4,544

150.00%

Eggs

$3.57 CA$5.02

$2.16 COP 7,046

65.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.42 CA$24.51

$4.39 COP 14.3K

296.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.40 CA$23.08

$5.88 COP 19.1K

178.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.17 CA$25.57

$8.64 COP 28.1K

110.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 CA$4.89

$2.28 COP 7,425

52.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 CA$1.81

$1.11 COP 3,603

16.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.95 CA$5.55

$1.53 COP 4,982

158.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.75 CA$5.28

$1.35 COP 4,410

177.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.61 CA$3.67

$1.13 COP 3,674

130.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 CA$3.12

$1.13 COP 3,692

96.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.10 CA$4.37

$0.85 COP 2,753

264.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 CA$3.11

$0.91 COP 2,975

142.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.15 CA$15.69

$2.34 COP 7,629

376.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.91 CA$12.54

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-27.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 CA$2.99

$1.20 COP 3,909

76.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 CA$4.01

$2.49 COP 8,104

14.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 CA$3.46

$0.84 COP 2,727

192.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.7 CA$89.7

$40.57 COP 132.1K

57.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 CA$4.57

$1.42 COP 4,623

128.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 CA$2.78

$1.92 COP 6,235

3.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.49 CA$35.87

$7.66 COP 24.9K

232.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 CA$1.65

$0.99 COP 3,223

18.18%

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

$25.5K CA$35.9K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

41.33%

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

$20.5K CA$28.8K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-23.09%

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

$201 CA$283

$80.8 COP 263.1K

148.66%

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

$59.8 CA$84.1

$9.95 COP 32.4K

500.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$99.9 CA$141

$24.18 COP 78.7K

313.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.65 CA$43.13

$25.08 COP 81.6K

22.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.19 CA$25.59

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-5.01%

Cinema Ticket

$13.50 CA$19.00

$3.98 COP 13.0K

239.20%

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

$738 CA$1,038

$305 COP 993.4K

141.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K CA$16.5K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

93.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 CA$84.8

$58.1 COP 189.2K

3.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.01 CA$50.7

$32.20 COP 104.8K

11.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 CA$105

$101 COP 327.9K

-25.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 CA$196

$108 COP 350.8K

29.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,045 CA$1,470

$477 COP 1.6M

119.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,034 CA$1,455

$376 COP 1.2M

174.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,863 CA$2,622

$845 COP 2.7M

120.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,820 CA$2,561

$730 COP 2.4M

149.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,854 CA$4,015

$617 COP 2.0M

362.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

13.43

-53.91%

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

Last update for Thunder Bay: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,045 in Thunder Bay 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 363% higher in Thunder Bay, 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 $60.0 in Thunder Bay versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $413 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

Thunder Bay vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Thunder Bay is pricier by about 131%, 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 $3,566 per month in Thunder Bay 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 $60.0 in Thunder Bay 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 $2,377 in Thunder Bay 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 Thunder Bay at $2,377. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Thunder Bay 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, Thunder Bay makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.