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: $2,945 in Coquitlam versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,066 in Coquitlam versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,187 in Coquitlam versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Coquitlam is roughly 186% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Coquitlam is 120% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.63 CA$20.59

$6.16 COP 20.1K

137.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.3 CA$73.6

$32.60 COP 106.1K

60.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.14 CA$14.26

$7.34 COP 23.9K

38.15%

Cappuccino

$3.70 CA$5.20

$1.72 COP 5,599

115.12%

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

$1.98 CA$2.79

$1.05 COP 3,420

88.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 CA$2.94

$0.77 COP 2,515

171.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.26 CA$7.41

$1.69 COP 5,487

211.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 CA$8.24

$3.17 COP 10.3K

84.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 CA$2.14

$1.05 COP 3,423

44.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 CA$4.38

$1.30 COP 4,236

139.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 CA$3.07

$1.40 COP 4,544

55.71%

Eggs

$4.03 CA$5.67

$2.16 COP 7,046

86.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.21 CA$14.37

$4.39 COP 14.3K

132.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.17 CA$22.76

$5.88 COP 19.1K

175.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.74 CA$20.74

$8.64 COP 28.1K

70.60%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 CA$6.39

$2.28 COP 7,425

99.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 CA$1.96

$1.11 COP 3,603

25.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.98 CA$7.01

$1.53 COP 4,982

225.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 CA$6.37

$1.35 COP 4,410

234.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 CA$2.24

$1.13 COP 3,674

40.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.76 CA$2.48

$1.13 COP 3,692

55.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.00 CA$4.23

$0.85 COP 2,753

252.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 CA$1.57

$0.91 COP 2,975

23.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.39 CA$20.25

$2.34 COP 7,629

514.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.85 CA$16.68

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-4.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.74 CA$5.26

$1.20 COP 3,909

211.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 CA$3.26

$2.49 COP 8,104

-6.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 CA$3.32

$0.84 COP 2,727

180.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.1 CA$107

$40.57 COP 132.1K

87.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 CA$3.74

$1.42 COP 4,623

87.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 CA$2.23

$1.92 COP 6,235

-17.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.14 CA$35.38

$7.66 COP 24.9K

228.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 CA$1.85

$0.99 COP 3,223

33.33%

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

$24.6K CA$34.6K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

36.43%

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

$20.3K CA$28.6K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-23.58%

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

$137 CA$193

$80.8 COP 263.1K

69.51%

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

$37.52 CA$52.8

$9.95 COP 32.4K

277.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.8 CA$82.7

$24.18 COP 78.7K

143.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.63 CA$38.88

$25.08 COP 81.6K

10.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.22 CA$15.79

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-41.41%

Cinema Ticket

$11.01 CA$15.50

$3.98 COP 13.0K

176.63%

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

$1,216 CA$1,711

$305 COP 993.4K

298.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K CA$17.0K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

99.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.2 CA$100

$58.1 COP 189.2K

22.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.29 CA$63.7

$32.20 COP 104.8K

40.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 CA$137

$101 COP 327.9K

-3.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CA$162

$108 COP 350.8K

6.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,061 CA$2,901

$477 COP 1.6M

332.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,806 CA$2,541

$376 COP 1.2M

379.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,625 CA$5,101

$845 COP 2.7M

329.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,670 CA$3,757

$730 COP 2.4M

265.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,118 CA$8,609

$3,215 COP 10.5M

90.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,906 CA$6,904

$1,372 COP 4.5M

257.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,074 CA$4,326

$617 COP 2.0M

398.46%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,061 in Coquitlam and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Coquitlam pays 398% 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: $52.0 in Coquitlam vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $381 vs $193 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 186% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 398% 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: $2,061 in Coquitlam versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,945 per month in Coquitlam versus $1,031 in Medellin – a 186% 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 $1,031 in Medellin versus $2,945 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 186% less than in Coquitlam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.