Cost of Living Comparison Between Quesnel and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Quesnel and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,481 per month in Quesnel vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,496 per month in Quesnel vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,512 per month in Quesnel vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Quesnel costs about 141% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Quesnel sits 86% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.27 CA$25.61

$6.16 COP 20.1K

196.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.12 CA$66.1

$32.60 COP 106.1K

44.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.25 CA$15.77

$7.34 COP 23.9K

53.27%

Cappuccino

$4.21 CA$5.90

$1.72 COP 5,600

144.77%

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

$2.13 CA$2.99

$1.05 COP 3,420

102.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.28

$0.77 COP 2,515

111.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.53 CA$6.35

$1.69 COP 5,488

168.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.92 CA$8.30

$3.17 COP 10.3K

86.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.98 CA$4.18

$1.05 COP 3,423

183.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 CA$3.85

$1.30 COP 4,236

110.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.05 CA$7.08

$1.40 COP 4,544

260.71%

Eggs

$4.03 CA$5.65

$2.16 COP 7,047

86.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.88 CA$9.65

$4.39 COP 14.3K

56.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.09 CA$12.74

$5.88 COP 19.1K

54.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.20 CA$15.70

$8.64 COP 28.1K

29.63%

Apples (1kg)

$4.73 CA$6.63

$2.28 COP 7,426

107.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.98

$1.11 COP 3,604

27.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.63 CA$6.49

$1.53 COP 4,983

202.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.99 CA$5.59

$1.35 COP 4,410

195.56%

Potato (1kg)

$4.39 CA$6.16

$1.13 COP 3,674

288.50%

Onion (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.77

$1.13 COP 3,692

200.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.32 CA$4.66

$0.85 COP 2,753

290.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 CA$2.35

$0.91 COP 2,975

84.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.38 CA$17.36

$2.34 COP 7,630

429.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.40 CA$14.59

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-15.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 CA$3.91

$1.20 COP 3,909

132.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 CA$6.59

$2.49 COP 8,104

88.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.80 CA$2.52

$0.84 COP 2,728

114.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.4 CA$88.9

$40.57 COP 132.1K

56.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 CA$3.77

$1.42 COP 4,623

89.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 CA$2.93

$1.92 COP 6,235

8.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.73 CA$61.3

$7.66 COP 24.9K

470.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 CA$1.68

$0.99 COP 3,223

21.21%

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

$25.4K CA$35.6K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

40.95%

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

$18.2K CA$25.5K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-31.67%

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

$220 CA$308

$80.8 COP 263.1K

172.01%

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

$44.12 CA$61.9

$9.95 COP 32.4K

343.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.6 CA$94.8

$24.18 COP 78.7K

179.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.4 CA$104

$25.08 COP 81.7K

196.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$9.78 CA$13.71

$3.98 COP 13.0K

145.73%

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

$558 CA$782

$305 COP 993.5K

82.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K CA$16.6K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

96.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.91 CA$53.2

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-34.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.3 CA$81.7

$32.20 COP 104.8K

80.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.6 CA$113

$101 COP 327.9K

-19.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$155

$108 COP 350.8K

2.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$953 CA$1,336

$477 COP 1.6M

99.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,196 CA$1,677

$376 COP 1.2M

218.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,987 CA$2,786

$845 COP 2.7M

135.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,798 CA$2,521

$730 COP 2.4M

146.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,466 CA$6,261

$3,215 COP 10.5M

38.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,200 CA$4,486

$1,372 COP 4.5M

133.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,446 CA$3,429

$617 COP 2.0M

296.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

13.43

-51.90%

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

Last update for Quesnel: July 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $953 in Quesnel 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 297% higher in Quesnel, 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 $47.00 in Quesnel versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $361 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

Quesnel vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Quesnel is pricier by about 141%, 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 $3,722 per month in Quesnel 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 $47.00 in Quesnel 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 $2,481 in Quesnel 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 Quesnel at $2,481. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Quesnel 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.

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