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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,444 per month in Waterloo vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,570 per month in Waterloo vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,697 per month in Waterloo vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Waterloo costs about 144% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Waterloo sits 84% above the global median, while Medellin is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.92 CA$20.90

$5.91 COP 18.4K

152.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.2 CA$94.1

$32.96 COP 102.7K

103.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.62 CA$13.48

$7.43 COP 23.1K

29.48%

Cappuccino

$3.11 CA$4.36

$1.65 COP 5,153

88.48%

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

$1.49 CA$2.09

$1.10 COP 3,432

35.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.17

$0.78 COP 2,433

98.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.36 CA$7.52

$1.72 COP 5,356

211.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.52 CA$9.13

$3.18 COP 9,904

105.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 CA$3.03

$1.10 COP 3,439

96.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.36 CA$3.30

$1.26 COP 3,921

87.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.70

$1.38 COP 4,304

91.30%

Eggs

$3.02 CA$4.23

$2.18 COP 6,788

38.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 CA$11.57

$4.49 COP 14.0K

83.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.57 CA$23.21

$5.79 COP 18.0K

186.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.12 CA$19.78

$8.97 COP 27.9K

57.41%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 CA$5.72

$2.32 COP 7,232

76.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 CA$1.74

$1.06 COP 3,318

16.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.24 CA$4.54

$1.52 COP 4,725

113.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.78 CA$5.29

$1.36 COP 4,226

177.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.40 CA$3.36

$1.13 COP 3,515

112.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.79 CA$3.90

$1.17 COP 3,651

138.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 CA$2.76

$0.90 COP 2,809

118.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 CA$2.23

$0.90 COP 2,794

76.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.03 CA$19.66

$2.23 COP 6,961

529.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.04 CA$14.07

$12.12 COP 37.8K

-17.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 CA$3.40

$1.19 COP 3,704

104.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 CA$4.41

$2.48 COP 7,735

27.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 CA$3.96

$0.85 COP 2,660

231.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.5 CA$96.0

$41.62 COP 129.7K

64.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 CA$3.72

$1.42 COP 4,413

86.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.69 CA$2.37

$1.95 COP 6,078

-13.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.94 CA$41.95

$7.89 COP 24.6K

279.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.57

$0.99 COP 3,086

13.13%

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

$25.2K CA$35.3K

$17.6K COP 54.8M

43.05%

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

$19.9K CA$27.9K

$26.8K COP 83.5M

-25.72%

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

$184 CA$258

$83.0 COP 258.7K

122.24%

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

$36.58 CA$51.3

$9.70 COP 30.2K

277.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.6 CA$77.9

$23.52 COP 73.3K

136.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.30 CA$55.1

$25.26 COP 78.7K

55.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.70 CA$22.00

$19.10 COP 59.5K

-17.80%

Cinema Ticket

$12.14 CA$17.01

$3.95 COP 12.3K

207.34%

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

$558 CA$782

$316 COP 984.0K

76.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K CA$14.5K

$5,975 COP 18.6M

73.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 CA$74.9

$60.0 COP 187.0K

-10.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.07 CA$36.53

$31.82 COP 99.1K

-18.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.0 CA$96.6

$102 COP 316.8K

-32.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.0 CA$125

$107 COP 334.8K

-17.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,412 CA$1,978

$475 COP 1.5M

197.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,245 CA$1,744

$374 COP 1.2M

232.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,376 CA$3,329

$849 COP 2.6M

179.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,132 CA$2,987

$719 COP 2.2M

196.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,144 CA$7,207

$3,265 COP 10.2M

57.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,993 CA$6,995

$1,441 COP 4.5M

246.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,946 CA$4,128

$624 COP 1.9M

371.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.71

13.43

-50.04%

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

Last update for Waterloo: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,412 in Waterloo 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 372% 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 $67.0 in Waterloo versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $356 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

Waterloo vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Waterloo is pricier by about 144%, 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 $3,666 per month in Waterloo 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 $67.0 in Waterloo 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 $2,444 in Waterloo 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 Waterloo at $2,444. 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.