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: $2,800 in Coquitlam versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,925 in Coquitlam versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,050 in Coquitlam versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Coquitlam is roughly 67% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Coquitlam 105% above, Medellin 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.79 CA$23.34

$8.02 COP 24.9K

109.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.2 CA$99.0

$47.87 COP 148.7K

48.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.89 CA$15.13

$9.89 COP 30.7K

10.11%

Cappuccino

$4.07 CA$5.66

$3.13 COP 9,725

30.03%

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

$2.17 CA$3.02

$1.91 COP 5,929

13.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.37

$1.51 COP 4,692

12.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.71 CA$7.94

$3.12 COP 9,705

83.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.55 CA$9.11

$5.75 COP 17.9K

13.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 CA$1.98

$1.44 COP 4,490

-0.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 CA$3.75

$2.49 COP 7,726

8.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.78 CA$3.87

$1.77 COP 5,511

57.06%

Eggs

$3.79 CA$5.27

$2.96 COP 9,196

28.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 CA$14.17

$10.07 COP 31.3K

1.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.55 CA$18.83

$10.12 COP 31.4K

33.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.57 CA$28.60

$14.30 COP 44.4K

43.85%

Apples (1kg)

$4.19 CA$5.83

$4.14 COP 12.9K

1.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 CA$1.93

$1.61 COP 4,997

-13.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.40

$2.25 COP 6,977

72.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.13 CA$5.74

$2.25 COP 6,998

83.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 CA$2.23

$2.04 COP 6,348

-21.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 CA$3.89

$1.54 COP 4,770

81.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.66

$1.17 COP 3,636

125.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 CA$1.55

$1.31 COP 4,060

-15.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.52 CA$21.58

$3.90 COP 12.1K

297.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.21 CA$16.97

$14.01 COP 43.5K

-12.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 CA$3.70

$1.74 COP 5,416

52.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 CA$4.14

$2.87 COP 8,918

3.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.21 CA$3.07

$1.22 COP 3,776

81.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.2 CA$103

$80.5 COP 250.1K

-7.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 CA$3.80

$1.31 COP 4,067

108.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 CA$1.89

$2.19 COP 6,796

-37.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.02 CA$34.78

$8.71 COP 27.1K

187.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 CA$1.77

$1.37 COP 4,241

-7.30%

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

$26.3K CA$36.6K

$27.8K COP 86.5M

-5.39%

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

$19.7K CA$27.3K

$35.8K COP 111.2M

-45.07%

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

$78.3 CA$109

$177 COP 550.9K

-55.86%

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

$35.42 CA$49.23

$13.88 COP 43.1K

155.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.71 CA$69.1

$29.72 COP 92.4K

67.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.64 CA$30.08

$44.88 COP 139.5K

-51.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.61 CA$14.75

$17.12 COP 53.2K

-38.03%

Cinema Ticket

$10.97 CA$15.25

$6.65 COP 20.6K

64.96%

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

$1,102 CA$1,532

$813 COP 2.5M

35.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K CA$16.8K

$9,187 COP 28.5M

31.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$79.7

$89.5 COP 278.1K

-35.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.45 CA$47.89

$59.0 COP 183.2K

-41.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 CA$122

$138 COP 429.4K

-36.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.3 CA$127

$102 COP 317.3K

-10.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,998 CA$2,778

$1,062 COP 3.3M

88.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,746 CA$2,427

$663 COP 2.1M

163.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,662 CA$5,090

$1,888 COP 5.9M

93.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,658 CA$3,695

$1,027 COP 3.2M

158.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,267 CA$8,712

$4,183 COP 13.0M

49.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,020 CA$6,979

$1,675 COP 5.2M

199.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,057 CA$4,250

$678 COP 2.1M

351.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

10.94

-61.52%

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

Last update for Coquitlam: September 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,998 in Coquitlam and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Coquitlam pays 351% 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: $71.0 in Coquitlam vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $371 vs $305 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 67% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 351% higher in Coquitlam, 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: $1,998 in Coquitlam versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,800 per month in Coquitlam versus $1,681 in Medellin – a 67% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 9% less than in Coquitlam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,681 in Medellin versus $2,800 in Coquitlam, a $2,500 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 67% less than in Coquitlam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.