Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,831 per month in Vancouver vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,231 per month in Vancouver vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,630 per month in Vancouver vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Vancouver costs about 180% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Vancouver sits 111% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.26 CA$25.37

$5.99 COP 21.4K

204.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.8 CA$108

$32.86 COP 117.2K

136.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.08

$7.09 COP 25.3K

53.03%

Cappuccino

$3.98 CA$5.53

$1.71 COP 6,105

132.75%

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

$2.12 CA$2.94

$1.10 COP 3,918

92.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.47

$0.78 COP 2,776

128.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.77 CA$8.02

$1.68 COP 5,987

243.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.56 CA$10.50

$3.07 COP 10.9K

146.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CA$3.23

$1.09 COP 3,899

112.84%

White Bread (500g)

$3.10 CA$4.30

$1.26 COP 4,500

146.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.40

$1.38 COP 4,914

181.88%

Eggs

$4.53 CA$6.29

$2.19 COP 7,813

106.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.92 CA$17.95

$4.40 COP 15.7K

193.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.14 CA$19.65

$5.63 COP 20.1K

151.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.74 CA$21.87

$8.89 COP 31.7K

77.05%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 CA$5.91

$2.34 COP 8,334

82.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 CA$2.04

$1.06 COP 3,771

38.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.59

$1.50 COP 5,365

168.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.06 CA$7.03

$1.38 COP 4,915

266.67%

Potato (1kg)

$3.02 CA$4.20

$1.15 COP 4,104

162.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.10

$1.16 COP 4,148

154.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.61

$0.89 COP 3,176

192.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.61

$0.84 COP 2,992

123.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.20 CA$21.12

$2.28 COP 8,131

566.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 CA$19.86

$10.64 COP 37.9K

34.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.27

$1.20 COP 4,276

155.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 CA$5.20

$2.47 COP 8,809

51.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 CA$3.39

$0.86 COP 3,051

183.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 CA$118

$41.40 COP 147.6K

105.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.74 CA$5.19

$1.47 COP 5,255

154.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.09

$1.96 COP 6,997

-23.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.43 CA$38.11

$7.74 COP 27.6K

254.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 CA$1.86

$0.95 COP 3,403

41.05%

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

$25.1K CA$34.9K

$18.1K COP 64.6M

38.50%

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

$20.7K CA$28.8K

$26.5K COP 94.4M

-21.73%

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

$91.8 CA$128

$82.3 COP 293.2K

11.57%

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

$39.42 CA$54.8

$9.50 COP 33.9K

314.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.1 CA$84.9

$24.23 COP 86.4K

152.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.89 CA$62.4

$25.89 COP 92.3K

73.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.68 CA$21.79

$19.00 COP 67.7K

-17.47%

Cinema Ticket

$12.37 CA$17.18

$3.93 COP 14.0K

214.76%

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

$1,180 CA$1,640

$309 COP 1.1M

281.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K CA$26.1K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

214.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$87.1

$58.7 COP 209.1K

6.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.13 CA$59.9

$32.35 COP 115.3K

33.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 CA$132

$103 COP 365.7K

-7.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$164

$108 COP 386.5K

9.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,995 CA$2,771

$476 COP 1.7M

318.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,629 CA$2,264

$379 COP 1.4M

330.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,589 CA$4,986

$838 COP 3.0M

328.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,769 CA$3,848

$724 COP 2.6M

282.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,246 CA$12.8K

$2,791 COP 9.9M

231.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,086 CA$9,845

$1,211 COP 4.3M

484.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,474 CA$4,827

$512 COP 1.8M

578.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

13.43

-58.23%

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

Last update for Vancouver: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,995 in 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 579% higher in 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 $78.0 in Vancouver versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $415 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

Vancouver vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Vancouver is pricier by about 180%, 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 $4,247 per month in 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 $78.0 in 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 $2,831 in 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 Vancouver at $2,831. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in 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.

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