Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort St John, BC and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort St John, BC and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,009 in Fort St John, BC versus $1,716 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,062 in Fort St John, BC versus $2,527 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,115 in Fort St John, BC versus $3,338 in Medellin.

Living in Fort St John, BC is roughly 17% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fort St John, BC 46% above, Medellin 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.82 CA$24.68

$8.03 COP 25.3K

121.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.75 CA$60.6

$48.26 COP 152.0K

-9.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.53 CA$13.19

$9.77 COP 30.8K

-2.46%

Cappuccino

$3.88 CA$5.37

$2.91 COP 9,167

33.33%

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

$1.81 CA$2.51

$1.94 COP 6,122

-6.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 CA$1.73

$1.52 COP 4,792

-17.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.35 CA$8.80

$3.09 COP 9,740

105.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 CA$6.32

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-20.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.47 CA$4.81

$1.36 COP 4,296

155.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.94 CA$4.07

$2.39 COP 7,519

23.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.82 CA$5.29

$1.70 COP 5,356

124.71%

Eggs

$4.03 CA$5.58

$2.87 COP 9,038

40.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.07 CA$16.71

$9.94 COP 31.3K

21.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.58 CA$18.80

$10.78 COP 34.0K

25.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.00 CA$26.30

$14.73 COP 46.4K

28.99%

Apples (1kg)

$6.02 CA$8.34

$4.09 COP 12.9K

47.19%

Banana (1kg)

$0.68 CA$0.94

$1.57 COP 4,950

-56.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.76 CA$5.21

$2.13 COP 6,695

76.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.63 CA$5.03

$2.21 COP 6,972

64.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.78 CA$3.85

$2.05 COP 6,447

35.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 CA$3.90

$1.50 COP 4,737

88.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 CA$2.88

$1.19 COP 3,747

74.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 CA$3.42

$1.16 COP 3,647

112.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.71 CA$20.37

$3.90 COP 12.3K

277.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.48 CA$29.74

$14.44 COP 45.5K

48.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.15 CA$7.13

$1.58 COP 4,987

225.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.73 CA$7.93

$2.83 COP 8,905

102.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 CA$1.97

$1.17 COP 3,679

22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.62 CA$39.63

$77.7 COP 244.8K

-63.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,045

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,589

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 CA$1.78

$1.30 COP 4,088

-1.54%

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

$27.7K COP 87.1M

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

$35.5K COP 111.8M

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

$128 CA$177

$176 COP 554.5K

-27.30%

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

$100 CA$139

$13.37 COP 42.1K

649.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.4 CA$83.6

$29.89 COP 94.1K

101.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.88 CA$19.21

$44.76 COP 141.0K

-68.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.7K

Cinema Ticket

$10.99 CA$15.22

$6.20 COP 19.5K

77.26%

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

$729 CA$1,009

$793 COP 2.5M

-8.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.5 CA$99.0

$85.6 COP 269.6K

-16.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.09 CA$65.2

$58.5 COP 184.1K

-19.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 CA$148

$136 COP 429.3K

-21.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 CA$199

$103 COP 324.7K

39.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$746 CA$1,033

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-29.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 CA$1,011

$680 COP 2.1M

7.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,580 CA$2,188

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-21.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,422 CA$1,969

$1,169 COP 3.7M

21.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,100 CA$4,293

$665 COP 2.1M

366.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

10.94

-44.24%

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

Last update for Fort St John, BC: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $746 in Fort St John, BC and $1,060 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort St John, BC pays 366% 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: $44.00 in Fort St John, BC vs $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $456 vs $303, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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

Fort St John, BC vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 366% higher in Fort St John, BC, 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: $746 in Fort St John, BC versus $1,060 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $44.00 in Fort St John, BC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,009 per month in Fort St John, BC versus $1,716 in Medellin – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,716 in Medellin versus $2,009 in Fort St John, BC, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Fort St John, BC. 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 Fort St John, BC, 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 17% less than in Fort St John, BC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.