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: $1,728 in Fort St John, BC versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,737 in Fort St John, BC versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,746 in Fort St John, BC versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Fort St John, BC is roughly 71% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Fort St John, BC is 29% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.80 CA$19.10

$5.99 COP 21.4K

130.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.90 CA$62.2

$32.86 COP 117.4K

36.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.53 CA$13.20

$7.09 COP 25.3K

34.41%

Cappuccino

$4.31 CA$5.97

$1.71 COP 6,115

152.05%

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

$1.85 CA$2.57

$1.10 COP 3,924

68.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 CA$1.73

$0.78 COP 2,781

60.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.35 CA$8.79

$1.68 COP 5,997

277.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.60 CA$7.76

$3.07 COP 11.0K

82.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 CA$3.25

$1.09 COP 3,906

115.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 CA$4.55

$1.26 COP 4,508

161.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.94 CA$5.45

$1.38 COP 4,922

185.51%

Eggs

$3.86 CA$5.35

$2.19 COP 7,827

76.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.57 CA$9.10

$4.40 COP 15.7K

49.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.13 CA$16.79

$5.63 COP 20.1K

115.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.41 CA$26.87

$8.89 COP 31.8K

118.34%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 CA$7.23

$2.34 COP 8,349

123.08%

Banana (1kg)

$0.68 CA$0.94

$1.06 COP 3,777

-35.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.85 CA$5.33

$1.50 COP 5,374

156.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.75 CA$5.19

$1.38 COP 4,924

171.74%

Potato (1kg)

$5.22 CA$7.23

$1.15 COP 4,111

353.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 CA$4.02

$1.16 COP 4,155

150.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 CA$3.47

$0.89 COP 3,182

182.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 CA$3.11

$0.84 COP 2,997

167.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.68 CA$20.33

$2.28 COP 8,145

543.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.27 CA$29.44

$10.64 COP 38.0K

99.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 CA$4.08

$1.20 COP 4,284

145.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 CA$4.18

$2.47 COP 8,824

22.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 CA$2.00

$0.86 COP 3,056

68.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.49 CA$40.84

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-28.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.24 CA$10.03

$1.47 COP 5,264

392.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 CA$1.41

$1.96 COP 7,009

-47.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.28 CA$36.38

$7.74 COP 27.6K

239.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 CA$1.75

$0.95 COP 3,409

32.63%

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

$25.2K CA$34.9K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

39.01%

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

$20.5K CA$28.4K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-22.57%

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

$86.3 CA$119

$82.3 COP 293.7K

4.91%

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

$104 CA$144

$9.50 COP 33.9K

995.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.1 CA$90.1

$24.23 COP 86.5K

168.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.9 CA$77.3

$25.89 COP 92.4K

115.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$10.91 CA$15.10

$3.93 COP 14.0K

177.61%

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

$745 CA$1,032

$309 COP 1.1M

140.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K CA$16.1K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

94.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.3 CA$103

$58.7 COP 209.5K

26.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.13 CA$66.6

$32.35 COP 115.5K

48.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 CA$117

$103 COP 366.4K

-17.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 CA$201

$108 COP 387.2K

33.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$589 CA$815

$476 COP 1.7M

23.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 CA$765

$379 COP 1.4M

45.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,302 CA$1,803

$838 COP 3.0M

55.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,125 CA$1,557

$724 COP 2.6M

55.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,124 CA$4,325

$512 COP 1.8M

510.37%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $589 in Fort St John, BC and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort St John, BC pays 510% 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: $45.00 in Fort St John, BC vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $412 vs $188 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 71% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Fort St John, BC pays 510% more on average, 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: $589 in Fort St John, BC versus $476 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 $45.00 in Fort St John, BC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,728 per month in Fort St John, BC versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 71% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,728 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 71% less than in Fort St John, BC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.