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 $2,797 per month in North Vancouver vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,453 per month in North Vancouver vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,108 per month in North Vancouver vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

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

North Vancouver sits 109% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.04 CA$25.09

$5.99 COP 21.3K

201.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.1 CA$96.1

$32.86 COP 116.9K

110.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 CA$14.43

$7.09 COP 25.2K

46.40%

Cappuccino

$4.12 CA$5.74

$1.71 COP 6,093

140.94%

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

$2.05 CA$2.85

$1.10 COP 3,910

86.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 CA$1.81

$0.78 COP 2,771

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.08 CA$7.06

$1.68 COP 5,976

202.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 CA$9.48

$3.07 COP 10.9K

122.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CA$3.05

$1.09 COP 3,892

100.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 CA$3.64

$1.26 COP 4,492

107.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.67 CA$3.72

$1.38 COP 4,905

93.48%

Eggs

$3.76 CA$5.23

$2.19 COP 7,799

71.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.48 CA$14.57

$4.40 COP 15.7K

138.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.67 CA$16.23

$5.63 COP 20.0K

107.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 CA$20.16

$8.89 COP 31.6K

63.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 CA$4.84

$2.34 COP 8,319

48.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 CA$1.99

$1.06 COP 3,764

34.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 CA$4.12

$1.50 COP 5,355

97.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.00 CA$5.56

$1.38 COP 4,906

189.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 CA$3.39

$1.15 COP 4,097

112.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 CA$2.90

$1.16 COP 4,141

80.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CA$3.43

$0.89 COP 3,170

177.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 CA$1.68

$0.84 COP 2,986

44.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.76 CA$20.53

$2.28 COP 8,116

547.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.06 CA$18.17

$10.64 COP 37.9K

22.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.90 CA$5.42

$1.20 COP 4,268

225.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 CA$3.24

$2.47 COP 8,793

-5.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.63 CA$3.66

$0.86 COP 3,045

205.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.7 CA$125

$41.40 COP 147.3K

116.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 CA$3.70

$1.47 COP 5,245

80.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 CA$2.16

$1.96 COP 6,984

-20.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.74 CA$39.97

$7.74 COP 27.5K

271.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 CA$1.81

$0.95 COP 3,397

36.84%

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

$24.7K CA$34.4K

$18.1K COP 64.5M

36.24%

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

$20.5K CA$28.5K

$26.5K COP 94.2M

-22.70%

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

$133 CA$186

$82.3 COP 292.7K

62.19%

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

$42.28 CA$58.8

$9.50 COP 33.8K

345.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.6 CA$92.7

$24.23 COP 86.2K

174.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.30 CA$46.32

$25.89 COP 92.1K

28.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.62 CA$41.19

$19.00 COP 67.6K

55.89%

Cinema Ticket

$12.36 CA$17.18

$3.93 COP 14.0K

214.50%

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

$1,207 CA$1,678

$309 COP 1.1M

290.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.2K CA$15.5K

$5,965 COP 21.2M

87.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 CA$76.2

$58.7 COP 208.7K

-6.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.49 CA$63.3

$32.35 COP 115.1K

40.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 CA$133

$103 COP 365.1K

-7.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CA$159

$108 COP 385.8K

5.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,880 CA$2,614

$476 COP 1.7M

294.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,683 CA$2,340

$379 COP 1.3M

344.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,552 CA$4,940

$838 COP 3.0M

323.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,435 CA$4,777

$724 COP 2.6M

374.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,170 CA$11.4K

$2,791 COP 9.9M

192.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,898 CA$9,593

$1,211 COP 4.3M

469.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,092 CA$4,300

$512 COP 1.8M

504.10%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,880 in North Vancouver versus $476 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 504% 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 $69.0 in North Vancouver versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 vs $188 – 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 $4,195 per month in North Vancouver and $1,519 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 $69.0 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 $2,797 in North Vancouver and $1,013 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 $1,013, than in North Vancouver at $2,797. 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.