Cost of Living Comparison Between Waterloo and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Waterloo and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,321 per month in Waterloo vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,371 per month in Waterloo vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,422 per month in Waterloo vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Waterloo costs about 41% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Waterloo and Medellin sit above the global median – Waterloo by 68%, Medellin by 19%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.97 CA$24.92

$8.04 COP 24.8K

123.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.9 CA$81.6

$48.29 COP 148.7K

21.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.98 CA$13.84

$9.42 COP 29.0K

5.94%

Cappuccino

$2.95 CA$4.09

$2.94 COP 9,045

0.34%

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

$2.06 CA$2.86

$1.86 COP 5,738

10.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 CA$1.86

$1.46 COP 4,481

-8.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.36 CA$7.44

$3.21 COP 9,887

66.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 CA$7.91

$5.71 COP 17.6K

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 CA$2.86

$1.44 COP 4,431

43.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 CA$3.45

$2.40 COP 7,393

3.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 CA$3.36

$1.70 COP 5,230

42.35%

Eggs

$2.83 CA$3.93

$2.89 COP 8,901

-2.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.44 CA$15.87

$10.06 COP 31.0K

13.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.71 CA$21.78

$9.97 COP 30.7K

57.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.28 CA$22.58

$14.20 COP 43.7K

14.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.65 CA$5.06

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-8.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 CA$1.62

$1.58 COP 4,880

-25.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.53 CA$4.89

$2.15 COP 6,627

64.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.91

$2.30 COP 7,082

53.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 CA$1.93

$2.00 COP 6,172

-30.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 CA$2.69

$1.51 COP 4,648

28.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.68 CA$2.33

$1.20 COP 3,703

40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 CA$1.72

$1.28 COP 3,948

-3.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.15 CA$18.24

$3.84 COP 11.8K

242.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.98 CA$13.84

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-28.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 CA$3.35

$1.71 COP 5,259

40.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 CA$3.91

$2.74 COP 8,444

2.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.66 CA$3.69

$1.25 COP 3,836

112.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.3 CA$97.6

$77.9 COP 239.9K

-9.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 CA$3.58

$1.31 COP 4,018

96.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 CA$2.54

$2.17 COP 6,684

-15.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.06 CA$40.29

$8.29 COP 25.5K

250.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 CA$1.66

$1.36 COP 4,174

-11.76%

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

$28.7K CA$39.8K

$27.5K COP 84.6M

4.44%

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

$19.1K CA$26.5K

$36.5K COP 112.5M

-47.65%

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

$143 CA$198

$169 COP 519.5K

-15.42%

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

$30.35 CA$42.09

$13.57 COP 41.8K

123.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.32 CA$64.2

$28.32 COP 87.2K

63.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.06 CA$51.4

$45.71 COP 140.8K

-18.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.40 CA$26.90

$17.22 COP 53.0K

12.66%

Cinema Ticket

$11.96 CA$16.59

$6.65 COP 20.5K

79.85%

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

$560 CA$777

$803 COP 2.5M

-30.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K CA$23.1K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

81.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 CA$76.8

$87.4 COP 269.0K

-36.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.23 CA$43.31

$59.4 COP 182.8K

-47.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.9 CA$115

$139 COP 427.7K

-40.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.3 CA$104

$102 COP 314.2K

-26.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,446 CA$2,006

$1,071 COP 3.3M

35.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,186 CA$1,644

$653 COP 2.0M

81.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,169 CA$3,008

$1,925 COP 5.9M

12.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,918 CA$2,660

$1,048 COP 3.2M

83.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,383 CA$7,465

$4,123 COP 12.7M

30.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,935 CA$6,844

$1,697 COP 5.2M

190.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,003 CA$4,165

$655 COP 2.0M

358.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.09

10.94

-53.47%

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

Last update for Waterloo: September 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,446 in Waterloo versus $1,071 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 359% higher in Waterloo, 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 Waterloo versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $353 vs $300 – 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

Waterloo vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Waterloo is pricier by about 41%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,482 per month in Waterloo and $2,462 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 Waterloo and $48.00 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 $2,321 in Waterloo and $1,641 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,641, than in Waterloo at $2,321. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Waterloo 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, Waterloo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.