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 $2,413 per month in Thunder Bay vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,528 per month in Thunder Bay vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,642 per month in Thunder Bay vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Thunder Bay costs about 138% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Thunder Bay sits 80% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.24 CA$25.34

$5.99 COP 21.4K

204.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.3 CA$82.3

$32.86 COP 117.2K

80.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.65 CA$17.58

$7.09 COP 25.3K

78.42%

Cappuccino

$3.64 CA$5.06

$1.71 COP 6,105

112.87%

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

$1.86 CA$2.58

$1.10 COP 3,918

69.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 CA$2.06

$0.78 COP 2,776

89.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.43 CA$7.55

$1.68 COP 5,987

223.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 CA$7.03

$3.07 COP 10.9K

64.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.43 CA$3.38

$1.09 COP 3,899

122.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 CA$3.41

$1.26 COP 4,500

94.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.39 CA$4.71

$1.38 COP 4,914

145.65%

Eggs

$3.62 CA$5.04

$2.19 COP 7,813

65.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.19 CA$23.88

$4.40 COP 15.7K

290.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.50 CA$22.93

$5.63 COP 20.1K

193.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.17 CA$25.24

$8.89 COP 31.7K

104.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.44 CA$4.78

$2.34 COP 8,334

47.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 CA$1.85

$1.06 COP 3,771

25.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.92 CA$5.45

$1.50 COP 5,365

161.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.58 CA$4.98

$1.38 COP 4,915

159.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 CA$3.76

$1.15 COP 4,104

134.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 CA$2.98

$1.16 COP 4,148

84.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.12 CA$4.33

$0.89 COP 3,176

250.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 CA$2.93

$0.84 COP 2,992

151.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.24 CA$15.62

$2.28 COP 8,131

392.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.22 CA$12.80

$10.64 COP 37.9K

-13.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 CA$2.84

$1.20 COP 4,276

70.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 CA$3.79

$2.47 COP 8,809

10.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 CA$3.42

$0.86 COP 3,051

186.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.9 CA$87.4

$41.40 COP 147.6K

51.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 CA$4.58

$1.47 COP 5,255

124.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 CA$2.81

$1.96 COP 6,997

3.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.84 CA$35.90

$7.74 COP 27.6K

233.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.61

$0.95 COP 3,403

22.11%

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

$25.3K CA$35.2K

$18.1K COP 64.6M

39.69%

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

$19.9K CA$27.7K

$26.5K COP 94.4M

-24.68%

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

$199 CA$276

$82.3 COP 293.2K

141.68%

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

$60.1 CA$83.6

$9.50 COP 33.9K

533.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$97.9 CA$136

$24.23 COP 86.4K

304.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.22 CA$41.99

$25.89 COP 92.3K

16.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.76 CA$26.06

$19.00 COP 67.7K

-1.26%

Cinema Ticket

$13.36 CA$18.56

$3.93 COP 14.0K

239.95%

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

$750 CA$1,042

$309 COP 1.1M

142.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K CA$16.1K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

93.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 CA$82.1

$58.7 COP 209.1K

0.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.69 CA$49.59

$32.35 COP 115.3K

10.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 CA$105

$103 COP 365.7K

-26.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 CA$192

$108 COP 386.5K

27.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,036 CA$1,439

$476 COP 1.7M

117.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,059 CA$1,471

$379 COP 1.4M

179.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,884 CA$2,618

$838 COP 3.0M

124.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,799 CA$2,499

$724 COP 2.6M

148.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,908 CA$4,040

$512 COP 1.8M

468.21%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,036 in Thunder Bay 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 468% 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 $59.0 in Thunder Bay versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $409 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

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

Yes – Thunder Bay is pricier by about 138%, 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 $3,619 per month in Thunder Bay 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 $59.0 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 $2,413 in Thunder Bay 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 Thunder Bay at $2,413. 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.