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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,450 per month in Halifax vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,580 per month in Halifax vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,710 per month in Halifax vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Halifax costs about 142% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Halifax sits 83% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.31 CA$25.36

$5.99 COP 21.4K

205.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.4 CA$91.9

$32.86 COP 117.4K

101.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.47 CA$14.50

$7.09 COP 25.3K

47.67%

Cappuccino

$3.75 CA$5.19

$1.71 COP 6,115

119.30%

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

$2.20 CA$3.04

$1.10 COP 3,924

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.26

$0.78 COP 2,781

108.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.76 CA$7.98

$1.68 COP 5,997

242.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.64 CA$9.20

$3.07 COP 11.0K

116.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 CA$3.11

$1.09 COP 3,906

105.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.94 CA$4.07

$1.26 COP 4,508

133.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.83 CA$6.68

$1.38 COP 4,922

250.00%

Eggs

$4.00 CA$5.54

$2.19 COP 7,827

82.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.73 CA$13.47

$4.40 COP 15.7K

121.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.29 CA$18.40

$5.63 COP 20.1K

136.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.74 CA$19.02

$8.89 COP 31.8K

54.56%

Apples (1kg)

$4.94 CA$6.84

$2.34 COP 8,349

111.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 CA$2.32

$1.06 COP 3,777

58.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.43 CA$6.13

$1.50 COP 5,374

195.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.24 CA$5.88

$1.38 COP 4,924

207.25%

Potato (1kg)

$3.00 CA$4.15

$1.15 COP 4,111

160.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 CA$3.57

$1.16 COP 4,155

122.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 CA$3.59

$0.89 COP 3,182

191.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 CA$3.05

$0.84 COP 2,997

161.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.25 CA$21.12

$2.28 COP 8,145

568.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.00 CA$22.16

$10.64 COP 38.0K

50.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.88 CA$5.37

$1.20 COP 4,284

223.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 CA$6.19

$2.47 COP 8,824

80.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.15 CA$2.97

$0.86 COP 3,056

150.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.3 CA$93.2

$41.40 COP 147.9K

62.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.72 CA$5.14

$1.47 COP 5,264

153.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.18 CA$1.63

$1.96 COP 7,009

-39.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.21 CA$30.75

$7.74 COP 27.6K

186.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 CA$1.66

$0.95 COP 3,409

26.32%

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

$25.5K CA$35.3K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

40.66%

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

$22.2K CA$30.8K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-16.03%

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

$154 CA$213

$82.3 COP 293.7K

87.14%

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

$50.3 CA$69.6

$9.50 COP 33.9K

429.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 CA$97.6

$24.23 COP 86.5K

191.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 CA$72.4

$25.89 COP 92.4K

101.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.78 CA$16.31

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-38.00%

Cinema Ticket

$11.18 CA$15.48

$3.93 COP 14.0K

184.48%

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

$921 CA$1,275

$309 COP 1.1M

197.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K CA$20.6K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

149.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.0 CA$90.0

$58.7 COP 209.5K

10.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.58 CA$47.88

$32.35 COP 115.5K

6.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 CA$139

$103 COP 366.4K

-2.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$157

$108 COP 387.2K

4.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,526 CA$2,113

$476 COP 1.7M

220.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 CA$1,716

$379 COP 1.4M

227.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,369 CA$3,280

$838 COP 3.0M

182.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,004 CA$2,774

$724 COP 2.6M

176.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,284 CA$4,547

$2,791 COP 10.0M

17.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,748 CA$3,805

$1,211 COP 4.3M

126.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,703 CA$3,743

$512 COP 1.8M

428.16%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,526 in Halifax 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 428% 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: $409 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

Halifax vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,450 in Halifax, $1,013 in Medellin – roughly 142% apart. Halifax costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,675 per month in Halifax 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.

Public transport costs about 63% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $921 per month in Halifax and $309 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 $1,013, than in Halifax at $2,450. 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 $1,013 in Medellin to $2,450 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.