Cost of Living Comparison Between Squamish, BC and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Squamish, BC and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,745 per month in Squamish, BC vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,106 per month in Squamish, BC vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,467 per month in Squamish, BC vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Squamish, BC costs about 166% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Squamish, BC sits 105% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.18 CA$21.29

$6.16 COP 20.1K

146.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.8 CA$103

$32.60 COP 106.1K

126.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.02 CA$15.45

$7.34 COP 23.9K

50.14%

Cappuccino

$4.24 CA$5.94

$1.72 COP 5,600

146.51%

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

$2.02 CA$2.84

$1.05 COP 3,420

92.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$2.01

$0.77 COP 2,515

87.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.94 CA$8.33

$1.69 COP 5,488

251.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 CA$8.20

$3.17 COP 10.3K

84.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 CA$2.56

$1.05 COP 3,423

73.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.65 CA$3.72

$1.30 COP 4,236

103.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.29

$1.40 COP 4,544

169.29%

Eggs

$3.63 CA$5.10

$2.16 COP 7,047

68.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.36 CA$14.52

$4.39 COP 14.3K

135.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.71 CA$16.42

$5.88 COP 19.1K

99.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.21 CA$28.34

$8.64 COP 28.1K

133.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 CA$4.73

$2.28 COP 7,426

47.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 CA$1.70

$1.11 COP 3,604

9.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 CA$4.20

$1.53 COP 4,983

95.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.36 CA$4.71

$1.35 COP 4,410

148.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.35 CA$3.29

$1.13 COP 3,674

107.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 CA$2.90

$1.13 COP 3,692

83.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 CA$3.51

$0.85 COP 2,753

194.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 CA$2.70

$0.91 COP 2,975

112.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.46 CA$20.28

$2.34 COP 7,630

517.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.54 CA$14.78

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-14.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.22

$1.20 COP 3,909

150.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 CA$5.21

$2.49 COP 8,104

49.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.50 CA$2.10

$0.84 COP 2,728

78.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.24 CA$43.80

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-23.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 CA$3.80

$1.42 COP 4,623

90.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.08

$1.92 COP 6,235

-22.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.62 CA$40.13

$7.66 COP 24.9K

273.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 CA$1.77

$0.99 COP 3,223

27.27%

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

$25.3K CA$35.5K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

40.56%

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

$20.2K CA$28.3K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-24.19%

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

$124 CA$174

$80.8 COP 263.1K

53.55%

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

$41.80 CA$58.6

$9.95 COP 32.4K

320.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.7 CA$93.5

$24.18 COP 78.7K

175.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 CA$74.5

$25.08 COP 81.7K

111.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$12.47 CA$17.48

$3.98 COP 13.0K

213.32%

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

$1,118 CA$1,567

$305 COP 993.5K

266.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K CA$17.6K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

106.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 CA$78.1

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-4.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.42 CA$62.3

$32.20 COP 104.8K

37.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 CA$146

$101 COP 327.9K

3.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.6 CA$131

$108 COP 350.8K

-13.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,676 CA$2,349

$477 COP 1.6M

251.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,588 CA$2,226

$376 COP 1.2M

322.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,371 CA$4,726

$845 COP 2.7M

299.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,961 CA$4,152

$730 COP 2.4M

305.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,834 CA$8,179

$3,215 COP 10.5M

81.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,067 CA$4,299

$617 COP 2.0M

397.17%

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 Squamish, BC: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,676 in Squamish, BC 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 397% higher in Squamish, BC, 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 $74.0 in Squamish, BC 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

Squamish, BC vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Squamish, BC is pricier by about 166%, 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 $4,117 per month in Squamish, BC 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 $74.0 in Squamish, BC 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 $2,745 in Squamish, BC 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 Squamish, BC at $2,745. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Squamish, BC 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, Squamish, BC makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.