Cost of Living Comparison Between Smithers and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Smithers and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,309 per month in Smithers vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,378 per month in Smithers vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,447 per month in Smithers vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Smithers costs about 128% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Smithers sits 72% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.02 CA$23.67

$5.99 COP 21.3K

184.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.2 CA$97.6

$32.86 COP 116.9K

113.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.99 CA$15.28

$7.09 COP 25.2K

55.01%

Cappuccino

$3.77 CA$5.24

$1.71 COP 6,093

120.47%

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

$2.00 CA$2.78

$1.10 COP 3,910

81.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.27

$0.78 COP 2,771

108.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.47 CA$7.61

$1.68 COP 5,976

225.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 CA$8.03

$3.07 COP 10.9K

87.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CA$3.05

$1.09 COP 3,892

100.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 CA$3.80

$1.26 COP 4,492

116.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.66 CA$5.09

$1.38 COP 4,905

165.22%

Eggs

$3.55 CA$4.93

$2.19 COP 7,799

62.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.24 CA$15.63

$4.40 COP 15.7K

155.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.85 CA$16.49

$5.63 COP 20.0K

110.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.56 CA$20.25

$8.89 COP 31.6K

63.78%

Apples (1kg)

$4.01 CA$5.58

$2.34 COP 8,319

71.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 CA$1.95

$1.06 COP 3,764

33.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.24

$1.50 COP 5,355

151.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.32

$1.38 COP 4,906

177.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.42 CA$3.37

$1.15 COP 4,097

110.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.47 CA$3.43

$1.16 COP 4,141

112.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 CA$3.59

$0.89 COP 3,170

189.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.40

$0.84 COP 2,986

105.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.83 CA$19.23

$2.28 COP 8,116

506.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.82 CA$17.83

$10.64 COP 37.9K

20.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 CA$3.88

$1.20 COP 4,268

132.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 CA$4.22

$2.47 COP 8,793

22.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.39 CA$3.32

$0.86 COP 3,045

177.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.9 CA$88.9

$41.40 COP 147.3K

54.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 CA$4.30

$1.47 COP 5,245

110.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.07

$1.96 COP 6,984

-23.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.61 CA$35.61

$7.74 COP 27.5K

230.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.55

$0.95 COP 3,397

16.84%

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

$25.3K CA$35.2K

$18.1K COP 64.5M

39.79%

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

$20.5K CA$28.5K

$26.5K COP 94.2M

-22.62%

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

$145 CA$201

$82.3 COP 292.7K

75.98%

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

$44.64 CA$62.1

$9.50 COP 33.8K

369.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.3 CA$88.0

$24.23 COP 86.2K

161.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.45 CA$59.0

$25.89 COP 92.1K

63.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

Cinema Ticket

$11.22 CA$15.61

$3.93 COP 14.0K

185.50%

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

$745 CA$1,036

$309 COP 1.1M

140.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K CA$16.7K

$5,965 COP 21.2M

100.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 CA$75.9

$58.7 COP 208.7K

-6.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.91 CA$55.5

$32.35 COP 115.1K

23.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.7 CA$122

$103 COP 365.1K

-14.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 CA$149

$108 COP 385.8K

-1.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,319 CA$1,834

$476 COP 1.7M

176.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,162 CA$1,615

$379 COP 1.3M

206.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,008 CA$2,792

$838 COP 3.0M

139.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,827 CA$2,540

$724 COP 2.6M

152.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,952 CA$5,497

$2,791 COP 9.9M

41.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,517 CA$4,892

$1,211 COP 4.3M

190.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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 Smithers: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,319 in Smithers 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Smithers versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $366 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

Smithers vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Smithers is pricier by about 128%, 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 $3,464 per month in Smithers 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 $70.0 in Smithers 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 $2,309 in Smithers 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 Smithers at $2,309. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Smithers 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, Smithers makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.