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: $1,730 in Fort St John, BC versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,740 in Fort St John, BC versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,751 in Fort St John, BC versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Fort St John, BC is roughly 68% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Fort St John, BC is 29% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.92 CA$19.52

$6.16 COP 20.0K

125.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.98 CA$61.7

$32.60 COP 106.0K

34.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.45 CA$13.24

$7.34 COP 23.9K

28.75%

Cappuccino

$4.42 CA$6.20

$1.72 COP 5,592

156.98%

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

$1.86 CA$2.61

$1.05 COP 3,416

77.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 CA$1.84

$0.77 COP 2,511

70.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.68 CA$9.37

$1.69 COP 5,480

295.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.59 CA$7.84

$3.17 COP 10.3K

76.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.38 CA$3.33

$1.05 COP 3,418

126.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.40 CA$4.77

$1.30 COP 4,230

161.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.81 CA$5.34

$1.40 COP 4,538

172.14%

Eggs

$3.91 CA$5.48

$2.16 COP 7,037

81.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.51 CA$9.13

$4.39 COP 14.3K

48.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.39 CA$17.37

$5.88 COP 19.1K

110.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.09 CA$26.77

$8.64 COP 28.1K

120.95%

Apples (1kg)

$5.25 CA$7.35

$2.28 COP 7,415

130.26%

Banana (1kg)

$0.67 CA$0.94

$1.11 COP 3,599

-39.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.98 CA$5.58

$1.53 COP 4,976

160.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.59 CA$5.03

$1.35 COP 4,405

165.93%

Potato (1kg)

$5.23 CA$7.33

$1.13 COP 3,669

362.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 CA$4.02

$1.13 COP 3,687

153.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 CA$3.44

$0.85 COP 2,749

189.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 CA$3.07

$0.91 COP 2,971

140.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.61 CA$20.48

$2.34 COP 7,619

524.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.01 CA$29.46

$12.37 COP 40.2K

69.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 CA$4.00

$1.20 COP 3,904

138.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 CA$4.32

$2.49 COP 8,094

23.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 CA$2.09

$0.84 COP 2,724

77.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.99 CA$40.64

$40.57 COP 131.9K

-28.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.23 CA$10.13

$1.42 COP 4,617

409.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 CA$1.50

$1.92 COP 6,227

-44.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.59 CA$35.88

$7.66 COP 24.9K

234.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 CA$1.77

$0.99 COP 3,219

27.27%

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

$25.0K CA$35.0K

$18.0K COP 58.6M

38.54%

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

$20.3K CA$28.5K

$26.6K COP 86.6M

-23.74%

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

$87.8 CA$123

$80.8 COP 262.7K

8.64%

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

$103 CA$144

$9.95 COP 32.3K

933.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.2 CA$92.9

$24.18 COP 78.6K

173.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.6 CA$79.3

$25.08 COP 81.5K

125.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.55

$3.98 COP 13.0K

178.64%

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

$746 CA$1,047

$305 COP 992.2K

144.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K CA$16.7K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

96.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.7 CA$102

$58.1 COP 189.0K

25.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.98 CA$67.3

$32.20 COP 104.7K

49.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 CA$117

$101 COP 327.5K

-17.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 CA$207

$108 COP 350.3K

37.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$578 CA$811

$477 COP 1.5M

21.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$541 CA$759

$376 COP 1.2M

43.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,340 CA$1,879

$845 COP 2.7M

58.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 CA$1,534

$730 COP 2.4M

49.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,079 CA$4,317

$617 COP 2.0M

399.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.45

13.43

-44.53%

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

Last update for Fort St John, BC: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $578 in Fort St John, BC and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort St John, BC pays 399% 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 $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $411 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

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, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 68% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 399% 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: $578 in Fort St John, BC versus $477 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 $33.00 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 $1,730 per month in Fort St John, BC versus $1,031 in Medellin – a 68% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,730 in Fort St John, BC, a $1,500 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 68% less than in Fort St John, BC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.