Cost of Living Comparison Between Halifax and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Halifax and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,514 per month in Halifax vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,626 per month in Halifax vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,737 per month in Halifax vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Halifax costs about 144% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Halifax sits 88% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.05 CA$25.30

$6.16 COP 20.0K

193.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.1 CA$92.6

$32.60 COP 106.0K

102.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.34 CA$14.50

$7.34 COP 23.9K

40.87%

Cappuccino

$3.89 CA$5.45

$1.72 COP 5,592

126.16%

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

$2.28 CA$3.20

$1.05 COP 3,416

117.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.43

$0.77 COP 2,511

124.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.73 CA$8.03

$1.69 COP 5,480

239.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 CA$9.57

$3.17 COP 10.3K

115.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CA$3.15

$1.05 COP 3,418

114.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.90 CA$4.06

$1.30 COP 4,230

123.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.77 CA$6.69

$1.40 COP 4,538

240.71%

Eggs

$3.92 CA$5.49

$2.16 COP 7,037

81.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.87 CA$13.84

$4.39 COP 14.3K

124.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.23 CA$18.54

$5.88 COP 19.1K

125.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.80 CA$19.35

$8.64 COP 28.1K

59.72%

Apples (1kg)

$5.07 CA$7.11

$2.28 COP 7,415

122.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 CA$2.36

$1.11 COP 3,599

51.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.26 CA$5.97

$1.53 COP 4,976

178.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.36 CA$6.12

$1.35 COP 4,405

222.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.96 CA$4.15

$1.13 COP 3,669

161.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 CA$3.74

$1.13 COP 3,687

136.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CA$3.59

$0.85 COP 2,749

201.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 CA$3.11

$0.91 COP 2,971

143.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.28 CA$21.42

$2.34 COP 7,619

552.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.66 CA$21.95

$12.37 COP 40.2K

26.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.80 CA$5.33

$1.20 COP 3,904

216.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 CA$6.42

$2.49 COP 8,094

83.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 CA$3.11

$0.84 COP 2,724

164.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.9 CA$93.7

$40.57 COP 131.9K

64.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.61 CA$5.06

$1.42 COP 4,617

154.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 CA$1.68

$1.92 COP 6,227

-37.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.26 CA$31.20

$7.66 COP 24.9K

190.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 CA$1.76

$0.99 COP 3,219

27.27%

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

$25.1K CA$35.1K

$18.0K COP 58.6M

38.94%

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

$21.9K CA$30.7K

$26.6K COP 86.6M

-17.79%

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

$158 CA$221

$80.8 COP 262.7K

94.94%

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

$49.40 CA$69.3

$9.95 COP 32.3K

396.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.0 CA$98.2

$24.18 COP 78.6K

189.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.2 CA$74.6

$25.08 COP 81.5K

112.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.78 CA$16.51

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-38.49%

Cinema Ticket

$11.26 CA$15.78

$3.98 COP 13.0K

182.91%

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

$919 CA$1,289

$305 COP 992.2K

201.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K CA$21.5K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

153.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.0 CA$92.6

$58.1 COP 189.0K

13.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.87 CA$47.49

$32.20 COP 104.7K

5.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 CA$137

$101 COP 327.5K

-2.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$155

$108 COP 350.3K

2.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 CA$2,136

$477 COP 1.5M

219.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,231 CA$1,725

$376 COP 1.2M

227.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,380 CA$3,337

$845 COP 2.7M

181.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,943 CA$2,724

$730 COP 2.4M

166.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,167 CA$4,441

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-1.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,741 CA$3,843

$1,372 COP 4.5M

99.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,790 CA$3,911

$617 COP 2.0M

352.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.12

13.43

-54.43%

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

Last update for Halifax: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,524 in Halifax 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 352% higher in Halifax, 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 $66.0 in Halifax versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $408 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

Halifax vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,514 in Halifax, $1,031 in Medellin – roughly 144% apart. Halifax costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,772 per month in Halifax 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.

Public transport costs about 65% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $919 per month in Halifax and $305 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Halifax at $2,514. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Halifax it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Halifax has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,031 in Medellin to $2,514 in Halifax. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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