Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Quesnel Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Quesnel

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $2,456 in Quesnel, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $3,465 in Quesnel, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $4,475 in Quesnel, rent included.

Medellin is about 59% cheaper than Quesnel, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Quesnel is 83% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$18.78 CA$26.09

-68.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$48.30 CA$67.1

-31.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$11.29 CA$15.69

-37.20%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$4.27 CA$5.93

-59.95%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$2.13 CA$2.96

-48.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$1.68 CA$2.33

-53.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$4.43 CA$6.16

-62.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$6.06 CA$8.41

-49.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$2.86 CA$3.97

-61.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$2.82 CA$3.92

-55.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$5.20 CA$7.22

-73.46%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$4.13 CA$5.74

-46.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$6.91 CA$9.60

-36.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$8.62 CA$11.98

-34.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$10.90 CA$15.15

-18.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$4.54 CA$6.31

-48.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.37 CA$1.91

-22.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$4.58 CA$6.37

-67.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$4.10 CA$5.69

-66.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$4.34 CA$6.02

-73.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$3.60 CA$5.00

-67.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$3.38 CA$4.69

-73.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$1.69 CA$2.35

-50.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$12.71 CA$17.66

-82.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$10.83 CA$15.04

-1.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$2.91 CA$4.05

-58.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$4.87 CA$6.77

-49.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$1.81 CA$2.52

-52.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$63.7 CA$88.5

-34.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$2.64 CA$3.66

-44.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$2.06 CA$2.87

-4.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$43.73 CA$60.8

-82.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.24 CA$1.72

-23.39%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$25.2K CA$35.0K

-27.94%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$18.6K CA$25.9K

42.03%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$221 CA$307

-62.77%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$43.95 CA$61.1

-78.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$67.8 CA$94.1

-64.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$74.6 CA$104

-65.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$10.21 CA$14.18

-61.51%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$554 CA$770

-44.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$11.6K CA$16.1K

-48.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$38.50 CA$53.5

52.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$58.7 CA$81.6

-44.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$79.6 CA$111

28.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$111 CA$154

-2.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$954 CA$1,325

-50.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$1,186 CA$1,647

-68.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$2,051 CA$2,850

-59.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$1,822 CA$2,532

-60.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$4,391 CA$6,100

-36.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$3,722 CA$5,172

-67.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$2,426 CA$3,371

-78.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.46

107.89%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Quesnel: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $954 in Quesnel. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 374% higher in Quesnel, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $48.00 in Quesnel. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $360 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Quesnel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Quesnel is pricier by about 143%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $3,684 in Quesnel. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $48.00 in Quesnel. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $2,456 in Quesnel. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Quesnel at $2,456. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Quesnel it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Quesnel makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.