Cost of Living Comparison Between Nanaimo, BC and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Nanaimo, BC and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,378 per month in Nanaimo, BC vs $1,028 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,486 per month in Nanaimo, BC vs $1,586 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,595 per month in Nanaimo, BC vs $2,144 in Medellin, rent included.

Nanaimo, BC costs about 131% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Nanaimo, BC sits 78% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.21 CA$25.49

$6.00 COP 20.6K

203.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.7 CA$86.4

$32.84 COP 112.5K

87.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.31 CA$18.63

$7.42 COP 25.4K

79.38%

Cappuccino

$4.10 CA$5.74

$1.65 COP 5,659

148.48%

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

$2.53 CA$3.54

$1.07 COP 3,663

136.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 CA$2.71

$0.76 COP 2,607

153.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.76 CA$8.06

$1.72 COP 5,908

234.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.03 CA$8.44

$3.20 COP 11.0K

88.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 CA$2.51

$1.05 COP 3,597

70.48%

White Bread (500g)

$3.26 CA$4.56

$1.31 COP 4,479

148.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.14 CA$5.80

$1.34 COP 4,591

208.96%

Eggs

$3.97 CA$5.56

$2.19 COP 7,521

81.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.85 CA$16.59

$4.41 COP 15.1K

168.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.77 CA$22.07

$5.69 COP 19.5K

177.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.28 CA$25.59

$8.52 COP 29.2K

114.55%

Apples (1kg)

$4.35 CA$6.09

$2.34 COP 8,023

85.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 CA$2.25

$1.11 COP 3,804

44.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.55 CA$4.96

$1.52 COP 5,210

133.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.59 CA$6.42

$1.37 COP 4,680

235.04%

Potato (1kg)

$3.06 CA$4.28

$1.15 COP 3,950

166.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.75 CA$3.85

$1.18 COP 4,043

133.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.96 CA$4.15

$0.84 COP 2,885

252.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 CA$3.20

$0.86 COP 2,931

166.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.15 CA$18.40

$2.26 COP 7,753

481.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.46 CA$17.44

$11.60 COP 39.8K

7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 CA$3.39

$1.20 COP 4,109

101.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 CA$4.65

$2.48 COP 8,484

33.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 CA$2.75

$0.79 COP 2,721

148.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.91 CA$67.1

$40.83 COP 139.9K

17.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 CA$4.19

$1.47 COP 5,023

103.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.88

$1.92 COP 6,568

-30.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.10 CA$47.73

$7.77 COP 26.6K

338.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 CA$1.88

$1.01 COP 3,464

33.66%

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

$24.7K CA$34.5K

$17.7K COP 60.5M

39.70%

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

$20.4K CA$28.6K

$26.5K COP 90.7M

-22.81%

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

$118 CA$165

$81.1 COP 277.9K

45.59%

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

$46.04 CA$64.4

$9.43 COP 32.3K

388.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.1 CA$92.5

$23.86 COP 81.8K

176.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.43 CA$42.59

$25.99 COP 89.1K

17.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.17 CA$15.64

$18.71 COP 64.1K

-40.30%

Cinema Ticket

$10.91 CA$15.26

$4.09 COP 14.0K

166.75%

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

$783 CA$1,096

$315 COP 1.1M

148.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K CA$16.9K

$6,022 COP 20.6M

100.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.44 CA$63.6

$59.7 COP 204.6K

-23.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.67 CA$48.52

$31.97 COP 109.6K

8.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.6 CA$111

$101 COP 346.9K

-21.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 CA$141

$105 COP 360.3K

-4.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,322 CA$1,851

$485 COP 1.7M

172.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,168 CA$1,635

$365 COP 1.3M

219.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,056 CA$2,878

$827 COP 2.8M

148.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,922 CA$2,689

$730 COP 2.5M

163.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,883 CA$5,435

$2,992 COP 10.3M

29.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,501 CA$4,900

$1,314 COP 4.5M

166.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,083 CA$4,315

$551 COP 1.9M

459.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.47

13.43

-51.82%

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

Last update for Nanaimo, BC: June 16, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,322 in Nanaimo, BC versus $485 in Medellin. 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 460% higher in Nanaimo, BC, 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 $62.0 in Nanaimo, BC versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $418 vs $190 – 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

Nanaimo, BC vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Nanaimo, BC is pricier by about 131%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,567 per month in Nanaimo, BC and $1,542 in Medellin. 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 $62.0 in Nanaimo, BC and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,378 in Nanaimo, BC and $1,028 in Medellin. 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 $1,028, than in Nanaimo, BC at $2,378. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nanaimo, BC 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.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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