Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Burnaby Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Burnaby

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $2,777 in Burnaby.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $4,049 in Burnaby.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $5,321 in Burnaby.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 63% less than in Burnaby, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% below, Burnaby is 108% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$14.84 CA$20.88

-58.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$74.8 CA$105

-56.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$9.25 CA$13.02

-20.65%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$4.24 CA$5.97

-59.43%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.80 CA$2.53

-41.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$1.34 CA$1.89

-42.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$5.95 CA$8.37

-71.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$5.67 CA$7.98

-44.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.50 CA$3.52

-58.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$2.75 CA$3.87

-52.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$4.66 CA$6.55

-69.96%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$3.27 CA$4.60

-33.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$12.46 CA$17.54

-64.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$11.71 CA$16.47

-49.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$21.40 CA$30.12

-59.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$3.36 CA$4.72

-32.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.33 CA$1.88

-16.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$3.03 CA$4.27

-49.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$3.85 CA$5.42

-64.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.91 CA$4.10

-61.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$3.07 CA$4.32

-63.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$2.47 CA$3.48

-65.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.91 CA$2.68

-52.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$14.81 CA$20.84

-84.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$12.95 CA$18.22

-4.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.49 CA$3.50

-51.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.55 CA$3.58

-2.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$2.27 CA$3.19

-63.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$77.6 CA$109

-47.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.73 CA$3.85

-47.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.35 CA$1.90

42.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$26.16 CA$36.82

-70.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.37 CA$1.93

-27.74%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$25.4K CA$35.7K

-28.90%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$20.1K CA$28.3K

32.19%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$136 CA$192

-40.67%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$41.79 CA$58.8

-76.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$54.8 CA$77.1

-55.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$31.21 CA$43.91

-19.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$5.36 CA$7.54

257.28%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$16.13 CA$22.70

-75.33%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$534 CA$752

-42.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$8,169 CA$11.5K

-25.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$54.8 CA$77.1

6.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$53.8 CA$75.7

-40.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$94.3 CA$133

6.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$94.6 CA$133

13.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$1,884 CA$2,651

-74.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$1,650 CA$2,321

-77.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$4,117 CA$5,793

-79.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$2,678 CA$3,768

-72.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$6,680 CA$9,400

-51.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$5,538 CA$7,792

-75.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$3,116 CA$4,385

-80.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.54

105.35%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Burnaby: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $1,884 in Burnaby. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Burnaby pays 405% 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $75.0 in Burnaby for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $392 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

Medellin vs Burnaby: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Burnaby differ by about 169% in total monthly costs ($1,031 vs $2,777 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 405% lower in Burnaby. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $477 in Medellin versus $1,884 in Burnaby. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $305 in Medellin versus $534 in Burnaby. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 103% higher in Burnaby. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $2,777 in Burnaby, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Burnaby. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 169% less than in Burnaby. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.