Cost of Living Comparison Between Yellowknife and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Yellowknife and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,990 per month in Yellowknife vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,276 per month in Yellowknife vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,563 per month in Yellowknife vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Yellowknife costs about 190% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Yellowknife sits 124% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.49 CA$23.12

$6.16 COP 20.0K

167.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.7 CA$126

$32.60 COP 106.0K

175.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 CA$10.57

$7.34 COP 23.9K

2.72%

Cappuccino

$3.86 CA$5.41

$1.72 COP 5,592

124.42%

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

$2.64 CA$3.71

$1.05 COP 3,416

151.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 CA$3.10

$0.77 COP 2,511

187.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.02 CA$8.43

$1.69 COP 5,480

256.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.46 CA$10.45

$3.17 COP 10.3K

135.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.48 CA$3.48

$1.05 COP 3,418

136.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 CA$3.88

$1.30 COP 4,230

113.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.82 CA$6.76

$1.40 COP 4,538

244.29%

Eggs

$3.28 CA$4.59

$2.16 COP 7,037

51.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.30 CA$10.24

$4.39 COP 14.3K

66.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.81 CA$23.57

$5.88 COP 19.1K

185.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.50 CA$23.13

$8.64 COP 28.1K

90.97%

Apples (1kg)

$4.81 CA$6.74

$2.28 COP 7,415

110.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 CA$2.24

$1.11 COP 3,599

43.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.54 CA$7.76

$1.53 COP 4,976

262.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.67 CA$10.76

$1.35 COP 4,405

468.15%

Potato (1kg)

$4.76 CA$6.67

$1.13 COP 3,669

321.24%

Onion (1kg)

$3.67 CA$5.15

$1.13 COP 3,687

224.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.45 CA$4.84

$0.85 COP 2,749

305.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 CA$1.60

$0.91 COP 2,971

25.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.39 CA$24.38

$2.34 COP 7,619

643.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.00 CA$19.62

$12.37 COP 40.2K

13.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.30 CA$6.03

$1.20 COP 3,904

258.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 CA$9.41

$2.49 COP 8,094

169.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.16 CA$3.03

$0.84 COP 2,724

157.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.6 CA$76.5

$40.57 COP 131.9K

34.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 CA$4.56

$1.42 COP 4,617

129.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.88

$1.92 COP 6,227

-30.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.10 CA$36.59

$7.66 COP 24.9K

240.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.71

$0.99 COP 3,219

23.23%

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

$24.5K CA$34.4K

$18.0K COP 58.6M

36.08%

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

$20.1K CA$28.2K

$26.6K COP 86.6M

-24.36%

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

$390 CA$547

$80.8 COP 262.7K

383.13%

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

$60.5 CA$84.8

$9.95 COP 32.3K

507.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$111 CA$156

$24.18 COP 78.6K

360.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.7 CA$105

$25.08 COP 81.5K

197.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$10.23 CA$14.34

$3.98 COP 13.0K

157.04%

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

$609 CA$854

$305 COP 992.2K

99.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K CA$16.8K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

98.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 CA$91.7

$58.1 COP 189.0K

12.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.64 CA$51.4

$32.20 COP 104.7K

13.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 CA$150

$101 COP 327.5K

5.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 CA$167

$108 COP 350.3K

10.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,494 CA$2,095

$477 COP 1.5M

213.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,440 CA$2,019

$376 COP 1.2M

282.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,449 CA$3,434

$845 COP 2.7M

189.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,192 CA$3,073

$730 COP 2.4M

200.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,003 CA$4,210

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-6.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,799 CA$3,924

$1,372 COP 4.5M

103.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,937 CA$5,519

$617 COP 2.0M

538.27%

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 Yellowknife: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,494 in Yellowknife 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 538% higher in Yellowknife, 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 $90.0 in Yellowknife versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 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

Yellowknife vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Yellowknife is pricier by about 190%, 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 $4,485 per month in Yellowknife 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 $90.0 in Yellowknife 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 $2,990 in Yellowknife 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 Yellowknife at $2,990. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Yellowknife 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, Yellowknife makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.