Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Coquitlam and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,639 a month against $2,586 in Coquitlam, rent and utilities included – about $11,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Coquitlam, Canada
Medellin, Colombia
Coquitlam
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,586
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Coquitlam and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Coquitlam and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,586 in Coquitlam versus $1,639 in Medellin.

  • Coquitlam $2,586
  • Medellin $1,639

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,784 in Coquitlam versus $2,413 in Medellin.

  • Coquitlam $3,784
  • Medellin $2,413

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,983 in Coquitlam versus $3,186 in Medellin.

  • Coquitlam $4,983
  • Medellin $3,186

Living in Coquitlam is roughly 58% more expensive than in Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Coquitlam 90% above, Medellin 20% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Coquitlam
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.62 CA$23.23
$8.09 COP 26.1K
105.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$72.0 CA$101
$47.05 COP 151.9K
52.94%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.68 CA$14.93
$9.50 COP 30.7K
12.42%
Cappuccino
$3.93 CA$5.49
$3.01 COP 9,734
30.56%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 CA$2.99
$1.80 COP 5,809
18.89%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 CA$2.35
$1.41 COP 4,560
19.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.59 CA$7.81
$3.18 COP 10.3K
75.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.49 CA$9.07
$5.75 COP 18.6K
12.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Coquitlam
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.40 CA$1.96
$1.51 COP 4,875
-7.28%
White Bread (500g)
$2.68 CA$3.74
$2.38 COP 7,677
12.61%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.67 CA$3.73
$1.77 COP 5,719
50.85%
Eggs
$3.84 CA$5.37
$2.89 COP 9,332
32.87%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.04 CA$14.03
$10.19 COP 32.9K
-1.47%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.23 CA$18.49
$9.87 COP 31.9K
34.04%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.27 CA$28.33
$13.99 COP 45.2K
44.89%
Apples (1kg)
$4.00 CA$5.59
$3.97 COP 12.8K
0.76%
Banana (1kg)
$1.36 CA$1.90
$1.55 COP 5,011
-12.26%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.68 CA$5.15
$2.18 COP 7,047
68.81%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.45 CA$4.83
$2.18 COP 7,050
58.26%
Potato (1kg)
$1.09 CA$1.52
$1.96 COP 6,336
-44.39%
Onion (1kg)
$2.82 CA$3.94
$1.59 COP 5,131
77.36%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.63 CA$3.67
$1.15 COP 3,698
128.70%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.05 CA$1.47
$1.24 COP 4,014
-15.32%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$15.79 CA$22.07
$3.96 COP 12.8K
298.74%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.36 CA$17.27
$13.68 COP 44.2K
-9.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.59 CA$3.61
$1.66 COP 5,359
56.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.03 CA$4.24
$2.26 COP 7,290
34.07%
🚌 Getting Around
Coquitlam
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.29 CA$3.20
$1.17 COP 3,770
95.73%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$79.0 CA$110
$77.4 COP 249.8K
2.15%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.74 CA$3.83
$1.27 COP 4,094
115.75%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.36 CA$1.90
$2.05 COP 6,611
-33.66%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.25 CA$33.89
$8.55 COP 27.6K
183.63%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.37 CA$1.92
$1.35 COP 4,348
1.48%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.9K CA$36.2K
$34.1K COP 110.0M
-23.87%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.5K CA$30.1K
$34.7K COP 111.9M
-37.87%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Coquitlam
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.3 CA$116
$170 COP 547.7K
-50.90%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$32.46 CA$45.37
$13.55 COP 43.7K
139.56%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.7 CA$72.3
$28.07 COP 90.6K
84.29%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Coquitlam
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$14.10 CA$19.71
$43.70 COP 141.1K
-67.73%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.56 CA$14.76
$17.19 COP 55.5K
-38.57%
Cinema Ticket
$10.62 CA$14.84
$6.91 COP 22.3K
53.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Coquitlam
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$388 CA$543
$797 COP 2.6M
-51.24%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.6K CA$16.3K
$9,112 COP 29.4M
27.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Coquitlam
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.5 CA$81.7
$84.7 COP 273.5K
-31.01%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.10 CA$47.67
$58.0 COP 187.1K
-41.17%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.8 CA$132
$135 COP 435.7K
-29.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$94.4 CA$132
$97.9 COP 316.0K
-3.54%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Coquitlam
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,814 CA$2,536
$1,208 COP 3.9M
50.23%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,530 CA$2,138
$642 COP 2.1M
138.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,333 CA$4,658
$2,028 COP 6.5M
64.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,485 CA$3,472
$1,012 COP 3.3M
145.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,088 CA$8,509
$4,170 COP 13.5M
45.99%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,998 CA$6,986
$1,910 COP 6.2M
161.65%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Coquitlam
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,143 CA$4,393
$657 COP 2.1M
378.28%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.28
10.94
-60.88%

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

Last update for Coquitlam: October 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Coquitlam
$1.5K
Medellin
$642 58.1% $889
Groceries & Markets
Coquitlam
$360
Medellin
$297 17.5% $63
Eating Out
Coquitlam
$268
Medellin
$170 36.8% $99
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Coquitlam
$167
Medellin
$211 26.1% $44
Clothing & Footwear
Coquitlam
$127
Medellin
$169 33.3% $42
Getting Around
Coquitlam
$98
Medellin
$94 4.3% $4.2
Sport & Entertainment
Coquitlam
$35
Medellin
$58 62.8% $22

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,814 in Coquitlam and $1,208 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Coquitlam pays about 4.8 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $72 in Coquitlam vs $47 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $360 vs $297 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Coquitlam
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
11:25 11:25 AM
13:25 1:25 PM
2 h ahead of Coquitlam
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
148,625
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.715 USD). 1 EUR = 1.56 CAD (1 CAD = 0.641 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,603 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Coquitlam Medellin 6,500 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Coquitlam
  • Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Medellin cheaper than Coquitlam?
Medellin is about 37% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and utilities. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Coquitlam or Medellin?
Average pay in Coquitlam is about 4.8 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Coquitlam and Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,814 in Coquitlam versus $1,208 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $388 in Coquitlam versus $797 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Coquitlam or in Medellin?
Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $47 versus $72 in Coquitlam. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Coquitlam or in Medellin?
At $1,639 in Medellin versus $2,586 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.
Is it better to live in Coquitlam or in Medellin?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
It comes down to priorities – Medellin wins on affordability, Coquitlam on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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