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 $2,846 per month in North Vancouver vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,438 per month in North Vancouver vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,029 per month in North Vancouver vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

North Vancouver costs about 176% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

North Vancouver sits 113% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.68 CA$26.28

$6.16 COP 20.1K

203.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.7 CA$99.4

$32.60 COP 106.1K

116.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.34 CA$14.55

$7.34 COP 23.9K

40.87%

Cappuccino

$4.12 CA$5.80

$1.72 COP 5,599

139.53%

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

$2.07 CA$2.91

$1.05 COP 3,420

97.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 CA$1.84

$0.77 COP 2,515

70.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.01 CA$7.04

$1.69 COP 5,487

196.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.01 CA$9.87

$3.17 COP 10.3K

121.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 CA$2.97

$1.05 COP 3,423

100.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 CA$3.74

$1.30 COP 4,236

104.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.72

$1.40 COP 4,544

88.57%

Eggs

$3.69 CA$5.20

$2.16 COP 7,046

70.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.45 CA$14.70

$4.39 COP 14.3K

138.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.91 CA$16.76

$5.88 COP 19.1K

102.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.47 CA$20.37

$8.64 COP 28.1K

67.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 CA$4.68

$2.28 COP 7,425

45.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 CA$2.04

$1.11 COP 3,603

30.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 CA$4.20

$1.53 COP 4,982

94.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.39

$1.35 COP 4,410

183.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 CA$3.47

$1.13 COP 3,674

118.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 CA$2.79

$1.13 COP 3,692

75.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 CA$3.51

$0.85 COP 2,753

194.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 CA$1.69

$0.91 COP 2,975

31.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.47 CA$20.36

$2.34 COP 7,629

518.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.66 CA$17.81

$12.37 COP 40.3K

2.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.85 CA$5.41

$1.20 COP 3,909

220.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 CA$3.32

$2.49 COP 8,104

-5.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.51 CA$3.53

$0.84 COP 2,727

198.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.6 CA$125

$40.57 COP 132.1K

118.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 CA$3.74

$1.42 COP 4,623

87.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 CA$2.20

$1.92 COP 6,235

-18.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.68 CA$40.35

$7.66 COP 24.9K

274.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 CA$1.93

$0.99 COP 3,223

38.38%

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

$24.7K CA$34.8K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

37.21%

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

$20.3K CA$28.6K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-23.60%

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

$133 CA$187

$80.8 COP 263.1K

64.46%

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

$41.67 CA$58.6

$9.95 COP 32.4K

318.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.5 CA$93.6

$24.18 COP 78.7K

174.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.76 CA$46.09

$25.08 COP 81.6K

30.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.91 CA$42.09

$19.15 COP 62.3K

56.19%

Cinema Ticket

$12.71 CA$17.88

$3.98 COP 13.0K

219.35%

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

$1,227 CA$1,727

$305 COP 993.4K

302.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K CA$15.6K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

82.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.1 CA$79.0

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-3.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.69 CA$64.3

$32.20 COP 104.8K

41.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.8 CA$135

$101 COP 327.9K

-4.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$159

$108 COP 350.8K

5.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,870 CA$2,632

$477 COP 1.6M

292.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,657 CA$2,331

$376 COP 1.2M

340.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,549 CA$4,993

$845 COP 2.7M

320.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,468 CA$4,880

$730 COP 2.4M

374.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,266 CA$11.6K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

157.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,664 CA$9,377

$1,372 COP 4.5M

385.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,097 CA$4,358

$617 COP 2.0M

402.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

13.43

-51.30%

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

Last update for North Vancouver: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,870 in North Vancouver versus $477 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 402% 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 $71.0 in North Vancouver versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $349 vs $193 – 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 176%, 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 $4,269 per month in North Vancouver and $1,546 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 $71.0 in North Vancouver 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 $2,846 in North Vancouver and $1,031 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 $1,031, than in North Vancouver at $2,846. 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.