Cost of Living Comparison Between Coquitlam and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Coquitlam and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,949 in Coquitlam versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,123 in Coquitlam versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,297 in Coquitlam versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Coquitlam is roughly 191% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Coquitlam is 120% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.48 CA$20.14

$5.99 COP 21.3K

141.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.3 CA$71.3

$32.86 COP 116.9K

55.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.39 CA$14.45

$7.09 COP 25.2K

46.54%

Cappuccino

$3.69 CA$5.14

$1.71 COP 6,093

115.79%

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

$1.97 CA$2.74

$1.10 COP 3,910

79.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 CA$2.92

$0.78 COP 2,771

169.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.22 CA$7.26

$1.68 COP 5,976

210.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 CA$8.06

$3.07 COP 10.9K

88.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 CA$2.00

$1.09 COP 3,892

32.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.99 CA$4.16

$1.26 COP 4,492

137.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 CA$3.13

$1.38 COP 4,905

63.04%

Eggs

$3.98 CA$5.53

$2.19 COP 7,799

81.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.51 CA$14.62

$4.40 COP 15.7K

138.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.30 CA$22.67

$5.63 COP 20.0K

189.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.44 CA$20.08

$8.89 COP 31.6K

62.43%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 CA$6.32

$2.34 COP 8,319

94.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 CA$1.99

$1.06 COP 3,764

34.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.08 CA$7.07

$1.50 COP 5,355

238.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.56 CA$6.35

$1.38 COP 4,906

230.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 CA$2.23

$1.15 COP 4,097

39.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 CA$2.46

$1.16 COP 4,141

52.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.98 CA$4.14

$0.89 COP 3,170

234.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 CA$1.51

$0.84 COP 2,986

29.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.11 CA$19.62

$2.28 COP 8,116

518.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.43 CA$17.29

$10.64 COP 37.9K

16.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.90 CA$5.42

$1.20 COP 4,268

225.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 CA$3.26

$2.47 COP 8,793

-5.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 CA$3.25

$0.86 COP 3,045

172.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 CA$108

$41.40 COP 147.3K

88.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 CA$3.84

$1.47 COP 5,245

87.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 CA$2.19

$1.96 COP 6,984

-19.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.93 CA$34.67

$7.74 COP 27.5K

222.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 CA$1.90

$0.95 COP 3,397

44.21%

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

$24.5K CA$34.1K

$18.1K COP 64.5M

35.33%

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

$20.1K CA$27.9K

$26.5K COP 94.2M

-24.16%

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

$132 CA$184

$82.3 COP 292.7K

61.02%

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

$36.68 CA$51.0

$9.50 COP 33.8K

286.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.9 CA$84.7

$24.23 COP 86.2K

151.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.85 CA$38.73

$25.89 COP 92.1K

7.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.15 CA$15.50

$19.00 COP 67.6K

-41.32%

Cinema Ticket

$11.20 CA$15.58

$3.93 COP 14.0K

184.99%

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

$1,230 CA$1,710

$309 COP 1.1M

297.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K CA$17.2K

$5,965 COP 21.2M

107.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.7 CA$98.3

$58.7 COP 208.7K

20.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.66 CA$63.5

$32.35 COP 115.1K

41.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.1 CA$132

$103 COP 365.1K

-7.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CA$159

$108 COP 385.8K

5.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,055 CA$2,859

$476 COP 1.7M

331.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,817 CA$2,527

$379 COP 1.3M

379.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,665 CA$5,097

$838 COP 3.0M

337.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,680 CA$3,727

$724 COP 2.6M

270.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,103 CA$8,487

$2,791 COP 9.9M

118.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,152 CA$7,165

$1,211 COP 4.3M

325.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,140 CA$4,367

$512 COP 1.8M

513.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.61

13.43

-50.78%

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

Last update for Coquitlam: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,055 in Coquitlam and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Coquitlam pays 514% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $51.0 in Coquitlam vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $382 vs $188 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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

Coquitlam vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 191% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Coquitlam pays 514% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,055 in Coquitlam versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,949 per month in Coquitlam versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 191% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 88% less than in Coquitlam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $2,949 in Coquitlam, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Coquitlam. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Coquitlam, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 191% less than in Coquitlam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.