Cost of Living Comparison Between North Vancouver and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between North Vancouver and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,769 per month in North Vancouver vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,402 per month in North Vancouver vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,036 per month in North Vancouver vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

North Vancouver costs about 65% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both North Vancouver and Medellin sit above the global median – North Vancouver by 102%, Medellin by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.91 CA$30.65

$8.02 COP 25.3K

173.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.7 CA$91.8

$47.87 COP 151.0K

37.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.38 CA$13.12

$9.89 COP 31.2K

-5.16%

Cappuccino

$4.28 CA$5.98

$3.13 COP 9,873

36.74%

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

$2.40 CA$3.36

$1.91 COP 6,019

25.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.40

$1.51 COP 4,763

13.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.78 CA$8.09

$3.12 COP 9,853

85.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.96 CA$8.34

$5.75 COP 18.1K

3.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 CA$2.62

$1.44 COP 4,558

29.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 CA$3.94

$2.49 COP 7,843

13.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 CA$3.34

$1.77 COP 5,595

35.03%

Eggs

$3.29 CA$4.60

$2.96 COP 9,336

11.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 CA$19.36

$10.07 COP 31.8K

37.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.91 CA$18.06

$10.12 COP 31.9K

27.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.72 CA$21.99

$14.30 COP 45.1K

9.93%

Apples (1kg)

$4.37 CA$6.11

$4.14 COP 13.0K

5.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 CA$1.94

$1.61 COP 5,073

-14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.63 CA$6.48

$2.25 COP 7,083

105.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.44 CA$6.21

$2.25 COP 7,104

97.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 CA$4.09

$2.04 COP 6,444

43.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 CA$4.03

$1.54 COP 4,842

87.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 CA$3.97

$1.17 COP 3,691

142.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 CA$2.89

$1.31 COP 4,121

57.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.47 CA$20.25

$3.90 COP 12.3K

271.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.54 CA$20.34

$14.01 COP 44.2K

3.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 CA$2.91

$1.74 COP 5,498

19.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 CA$4.07

$2.87 COP 9,053

1.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.02 CA$4.22

$1.22 COP 3,834

147.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100.0 CA$140

$80.5 COP 253.9K

24.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 CA$3.81

$1.31 COP 4,129

107.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 CA$2.16

$2.19 COP 6,899

-29.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.55 CA$39.94

$8.71 COP 27.5K

227.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 CA$1.83

$1.37 COP 4,306

-4.38%

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

$28.7K CA$40.2K

$27.8K COP 87.8M

3.17%

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

$19.4K CA$27.1K

$35.8K COP 112.8M

-45.86%

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

$131 CA$183

$177 COP 559.3K

-26.14%

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

$37.41 CA$52.3

$13.88 COP 43.8K

169.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.0 CA$75.6

$29.72 COP 93.8K

81.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.46 CA$44.01

$44.88 COP 141.6K

-29.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.66 CA$34.50

$17.12 COP 54.0K

44.04%

Cinema Ticket

$12.33 CA$17.25

$6.65 COP 21.0K

85.41%

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

$1,077 CA$1,508

$813 COP 2.6M

32.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K CA$15.1K

$9,187 COP 29.0M

17.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.2 CA$89.8

$89.5 COP 282.3K

-28.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.41 CA$53.8

$59.0 COP 186.0K

-34.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.8 CA$117

$138 COP 435.9K

-39.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 CA$155

$102 COP 322.1K

8.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,832 CA$2,563

$1,062 COP 3.3M

72.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,550 CA$2,168

$663 COP 2.1M

133.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,143 CA$4,397

$1,888 COP 6.0M

66.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,140 CA$4,393

$1,027 COP 3.2M

205.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,401 CA$11.8K

$4,183 COP 13.2M

100.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,679 CA$9,345

$1,675 COP 5.3M

298.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,153 CA$4,411

$678 COP 2.1M

365.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.69

10.94

-57.13%

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

Last update for North Vancouver: September 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,832 in North Vancouver 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 365% higher in North Vancouver, 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 $66.0 in North Vancouver versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $390 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

North Vancouver vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – North Vancouver is pricier by about 65%, 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 $4,154 per month in North Vancouver 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 $66.0 in North Vancouver 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 $2,769 in North Vancouver 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 North Vancouver at $2,769. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in North Vancouver 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, North Vancouver makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.