Cost of Living Comparison Between New Westminster and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between New Westminster and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,598 per month in New Westminster vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,053 per month in New Westminster vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,507 per month in New Westminster vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

New Westminster costs about 55% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both New Westminster and Medellin sit above the global median – New Westminster by 90%, Medellin by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.14 CA$27.99

$8.02 COP 24.9K

151.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.0 CA$79.3

$47.87 COP 148.7K

19.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 CA$14.72

$9.89 COP 30.7K

7.08%

Cappuccino

$3.53 CA$4.91

$3.13 COP 9,725

12.78%

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

$2.00 CA$2.78

$1.91 COP 5,929

4.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 CA$2.22

$1.51 COP 4,692

5.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.22 CA$8.64

$3.12 COP 9,705

99.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.78 CA$8.04

$5.75 COP 17.9K

0.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 CA$2.55

$1.44 COP 4,490

27.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 CA$3.33

$2.49 COP 7,726

-3.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.50 CA$4.86

$1.77 COP 5,511

97.74%

Eggs

$3.16 CA$4.40

$2.96 COP 9,196

6.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.04 CA$15.34

$10.07 COP 31.3K

9.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.94 CA$22.15

$10.12 COP 31.4K

57.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.99 CA$37.52

$14.30 COP 44.4K

88.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.19

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-9.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 CA$1.73

$1.61 COP 4,997

-22.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.69 CA$5.13

$2.25 COP 6,977

64.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.23

$2.25 COP 6,998

67.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.37 CA$3.29

$2.04 COP 6,348

16.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 CA$3.18

$1.54 COP 4,770

48.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.31 CA$3.21

$1.17 COP 3,636

97.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 CA$2.65

$1.31 COP 4,060

45.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.94 CA$22.15

$3.90 COP 12.1K

308.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.83 CA$15.05

$14.01 COP 43.5K

-22.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 CA$2.87

$1.74 COP 5,416

18.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 CA$4.12

$2.87 COP 8,918

3.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 CA$3.45

$1.22 COP 3,776

103.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$92.5 CA$129

$80.5 COP 250.1K

14.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 CA$2.97

$1.31 COP 4,067

63.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 CA$2.55

$2.19 COP 6,796

-16.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.74 CA$31.61

$8.71 COP 27.1K

161.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 CA$1.75

$1.37 COP 4,241

-8.03%

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

$24.1K CA$33.5K

$27.8K COP 86.5M

-13.42%

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

$19.2K CA$26.7K

$35.8K COP 111.2M

-46.25%

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

$140 CA$195

$177 COP 550.9K

-21.02%

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

$44.79 CA$62.3

$13.88 COP 43.1K

222.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.1 CA$90.5

$29.72 COP 92.4K

119.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.08 CA$47.38

$44.88 COP 139.5K

-24.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.72 CA$24.64

$17.12 COP 53.2K

3.50%

Cinema Ticket

$12.38 CA$17.20

$6.65 COP 20.6K

86.17%

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

$789 CA$1,097

$813 COP 2.5M

-2.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,840 CA$10.9K

$9,187 COP 28.5M

-14.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.2 CA$74.0

$89.5 COP 278.1K

-40.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.86 CA$48.45

$59.0 COP 183.2K

-40.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.8 CA$111

$138 COP 429.4K

-42.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 CA$140

$102 COP 317.3K

-1.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 CA$2,186

$1,062 COP 3.3M

48.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,363 CA$1,895

$663 COP 2.1M

105.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,911 CA$4,047

$1,888 COP 5.9M

54.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,643 CA$3,674

$1,027 COP 3.2M

157.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,777 CA$6,641

$4,183 COP 13.0M

14.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,094 CA$5,692

$1,675 COP 5.2M

144.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,141 CA$4,366

$678 COP 2.1M

363.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.72

10.94

-56.86%

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

Last update for New Westminster: September 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,572 in New Westminster versus $1,062 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 363% higher in New Westminster, 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 $57.0 in New Westminster versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $404 vs $305 – 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

New Westminster vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – New Westminster is pricier by about 55%, 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 $3,898 per month in New Westminster and $2,521 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 $57.0 in New Westminster and $48.00 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 $2,598 in New Westminster and $1,681 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in New Westminster at $2,598. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in New Westminster 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, New Westminster makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.