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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,730 in Fort St John, BC.

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

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

Living in Medellin costs roughly 40% less than in Fort St John, BC, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$13.92 CA$19.52

-55.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$43.98 CA$61.7

-25.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$9.45 CA$13.24

-22.33%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$4.42 CA$6.20

-61.09%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.86 CA$2.61

-43.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$1.31 CA$1.84

-41.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$6.68 CA$9.37

-74.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$5.59 CA$7.84

-43.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.38 CA$3.33

-55.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$3.40 CA$4.77

-61.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$3.81 CA$5.34

-63.25%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$3.91 CA$5.48

-44.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$6.51 CA$9.13

-32.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$12.39 CA$17.37

-52.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$19.09 CA$26.77

-54.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$5.25 CA$7.35

-56.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$0.67 CA$0.94

65.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$3.98 CA$5.58

-61.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$3.59 CA$5.03

-62.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$5.23 CA$7.33

-78.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.87 CA$4.02

-60.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$2.46 CA$3.44

-65.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$2.19 CA$3.07

-58.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$14.61 CA$20.48

-83.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$21.01 CA$29.46

-41.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.86 CA$4.00

-58.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$3.08 CA$4.32

-19.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$1.49 CA$2.09

-43.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$28.99 CA$40.64

39.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$7.23 CA$10.13

-80.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.07 CA$1.50

79.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$25.59 CA$35.88

-70.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.26 CA$1.77

-21.43%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$25.0K CA$35.0K

-27.82%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$20.3K CA$28.5K

31.13%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$87.8 CA$123

-7.95%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$103 CA$144

-90.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$66.2 CA$92.9

-63.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$56.6 CA$79.3

-55.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$11.09 CA$15.55

-64.11%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$746 CA$1,047

-59.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$11.9K CA$16.7K

-49.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$72.7 CA$102

-20.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$47.98 CA$67.3

-32.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$83.6 CA$117

20.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$148 CA$207

-27.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$578 CA$811

-17.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$541 CA$759

-30.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,340 CA$1,879

-36.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$1,094 CA$1,534

-33.24%

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)

$617 COP 2.0M

$3,079 CA$4,317

-79.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

7.45

80.27%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $578 in Fort St John, BC. 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $44.00 in Fort St John, BC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $411 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 Fort St John, BC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 68% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 399% lower in Fort St John, BC. 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 $578 in Fort St John, BC. 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 $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $1,730 in Fort St John, BC – 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.