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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,906 per month in Vancouver vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,209 per month in Vancouver vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,513 per month in Vancouver vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Vancouver costs about 182% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Vancouver sits 118% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.62 CA$26.10

$6.16 COP 20.1K

202.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.9 CA$109

$32.60 COP 106.1K

138.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.84 CA$15.20

$7.34 COP 23.9K

47.68%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.51

$1.72 COP 5,600

128.49%

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

$2.24 CA$3.15

$1.05 COP 3,420

113.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 CA$2.45

$0.77 COP 2,515

127.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.48

$1.69 COP 5,488

257.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.30 CA$10.23

$3.17 COP 10.3K

130.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 CA$3.23

$1.05 COP 3,423

119.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 CA$4.31

$1.30 COP 4,236

136.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.28

$1.40 COP 4,544

169.29%

Eggs

$4.32 CA$6.06

$2.16 COP 7,047

100.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 CA$17.63

$4.39 COP 14.3K

186.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.74 CA$19.27

$5.88 COP 19.1K

133.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.99 CA$22.41

$8.64 COP 28.1K

85.07%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 CA$5.98

$2.28 COP 7,426

86.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CA$2.13

$1.11 COP 3,604

36.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.92 CA$5.50

$1.53 COP 4,983

156.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 CA$7.13

$1.35 COP 4,410

276.30%

Potato (1kg)

$3.20 CA$4.48

$1.13 COP 3,674

183.19%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 CA$4.33

$1.13 COP 3,692

173.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.64

$0.85 COP 2,753

205.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.64

$0.91 COP 2,975

106.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.45 CA$21.66

$2.34 COP 7,630

560.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.89 CA$20.88

$12.37 COP 40.3K

20.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.37

$1.20 COP 3,909

160.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 CA$5.33

$2.49 COP 8,104

52.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 CA$3.39

$0.84 COP 2,728

188.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.0 CA$116

$40.57 COP 132.1K

104.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.27

$1.42 COP 4,623

164.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.08

$1.92 COP 6,235

-22.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.97 CA$37.81

$7.66 COP 24.9K

252.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 CA$1.82

$0.99 COP 3,223

31.31%

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

$25.2K CA$35.3K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

39.71%

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

$20.6K CA$28.8K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-22.78%

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

$91.8 CA$129

$80.8 COP 263.1K

13.62%

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

$39.34 CA$55.2

$9.95 COP 32.4K

295.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 CA$85.0

$24.18 COP 78.7K

150.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.58 CA$62.5

$25.08 COP 81.7K

77.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.88 CA$22.27

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-17.08%

Cinema Ticket

$12.18 CA$17.07

$3.98 COP 13.0K

206.03%

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

$1,185 CA$1,661

$305 COP 993.5K

288.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K CA$26.0K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

205.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 CA$87.6

$58.1 COP 189.2K

7.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.38 CA$59.4

$32.20 COP 104.8K

31.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 CA$133

$101 COP 327.9K

-5.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CA$161

$108 COP 350.8K

6.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,979 CA$2,775

$477 COP 1.6M

315.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 CA$2,304

$376 COP 1.2M

336.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,577 CA$5,015

$845 COP 2.7M

323.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,782 CA$3,901

$730 COP 2.4M

280.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,754 CA$12.3K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

172.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,087 CA$9,936

$1,372 COP 4.5M

416.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,380 CA$4,739

$617 COP 2.0M

448.01%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,979 in Vancouver 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 448% 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: $414 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

Vancouver vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Vancouver is pricier by about 182%, 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 $4,359 per month in Vancouver 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 $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 $2,906 in Vancouver 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 Vancouver at $2,906. 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.