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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,375 per month in Smithers vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,392 per month in Smithers vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,410 per month in Smithers vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Smithers costs about 130% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Smithers sits 78% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.80 CA$23.64

$6.16 COP 20.1K

172.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 CA$98.0

$32.60 COP 106.1K

113.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.23 CA$15.80

$7.34 COP 23.9K

53.00%

Cappuccino

$3.72 CA$5.23

$1.72 COP 5,599

116.28%

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

$2.02 CA$2.85

$1.05 COP 3,420

92.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.30

$0.77 COP 2,515

111.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.38 CA$7.57

$1.69 COP 5,487

218.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.78 CA$8.13

$3.17 COP 10.3K

82.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CA$3.07

$1.05 COP 3,423

107.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 CA$3.80

$1.30 COP 4,236

107.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.57 CA$5.03

$1.40 COP 4,544

155.00%

Eggs

$3.41 CA$4.79

$2.16 COP 7,046

57.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.96 CA$15.43

$4.39 COP 14.3K

149.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.84 CA$16.66

$5.88 COP 19.1K

101.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.66 CA$20.63

$8.64 COP 28.1K

69.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.99 CA$5.61

$2.28 COP 7,425

75.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 CA$1.93

$1.11 COP 3,603

23.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.26

$1.53 COP 4,982

144.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.86 CA$5.43

$1.35 COP 4,410

185.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 CA$3.47

$1.13 COP 3,674

118.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.47 CA$3.47

$1.13 COP 3,692

118.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 CA$3.57

$0.85 COP 2,753

197.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 CA$2.54

$0.91 COP 2,975

97.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.03 CA$19.74

$2.34 COP 7,629

499.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.46 CA$17.53

$12.37 COP 40.3K

0.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 CA$4.13

$1.20 COP 3,909

145.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 CA$4.42

$2.49 COP 8,104

26.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.32 CA$3.27

$0.84 COP 2,727

176.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.7 CA$88.3

$40.57 COP 132.1K

54.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 CA$4.50

$1.42 COP 4,623

125.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 CA$2.01

$1.92 COP 6,235

-25.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.18 CA$36.84

$7.66 COP 24.9K

241.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.59

$0.99 COP 3,223

14.14%

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

$24.8K CA$34.8K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

37.35%

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

$20.8K CA$29.3K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-21.72%

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

$141 CA$198

$80.8 COP 263.1K

73.96%

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

$44.60 CA$62.8

$9.95 COP 32.4K

348.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 CA$86.6

$24.18 COP 78.7K

154.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.68 CA$60.1

$25.08 COP 81.6K

70.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$11.64 CA$16.37

$3.98 COP 13.0K

192.46%

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

$722 CA$1,016

$305 COP 993.4K

136.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K CA$16.3K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

91.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 CA$75.2

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-8.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.16 CA$55.1

$32.20 COP 104.8K

21.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.3 CA$120

$101 COP 327.9K

-15.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CA$152

$108 COP 350.8K

0.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,322 CA$1,861

$477 COP 1.6M

177.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,155 CA$1,625

$376 COP 1.2M

206.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 CA$2,803

$845 COP 2.7M

135.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,792 CA$2,522

$730 COP 2.4M

145.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,665 CA$6,564

$3,215 COP 10.5M

45.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,090 CA$5,755

$1,372 COP 4.5M

198.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,322 in Smithers 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Smithers versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $365 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

Smithers vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Smithers is pricier by about 130%, 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 $3,562 per month in Smithers 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 $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 $2,375 in Smithers 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 Smithers at $2,375. 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.