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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,537 per month in Halifax vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,643 per month in Halifax vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,749 per month in Halifax vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Halifax costs about 48% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Halifax and Medellin sit above the global median – Halifax by 85%, Medellin by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.97 CA$24.97

$8.03 COP 25.3K

123.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.6 CA$102

$48.26 COP 152.3K

52.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.71 CA$14.88

$9.77 COP 30.8K

9.62%

Cappuccino

$4.53 CA$6.29

$2.91 COP 9,185

55.67%

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

$2.45 CA$3.40

$1.94 COP 6,134

26.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 CA$2.56

$1.52 COP 4,801

21.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.81 CA$8.08

$3.09 COP 9,759

88.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.34 CA$8.81

$5.74 COP 18.1K

10.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 CA$3.12

$1.36 COP 4,304

64.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 CA$3.91

$2.39 COP 7,534

17.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.01 CA$5.57

$1.70 COP 5,366

135.88%

Eggs

$3.80 CA$5.28

$2.87 COP 9,056

32.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.09 CA$12.63

$9.94 COP 31.4K

-8.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.13 CA$18.24

$10.78 COP 34.0K

21.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.88 CA$20.68

$14.73 COP 46.5K

1.02%

Apples (1kg)

$5.06 CA$7.03

$4.09 COP 12.9K

23.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 CA$2.63

$1.57 COP 4,960

20.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.52 CA$6.27

$2.13 COP 6,708

112.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.09 CA$7.08

$2.21 COP 6,985

130.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 CA$3.75

$2.05 COP 6,460

31.71%

Onion (1kg)

$3.03 CA$4.21

$1.50 COP 4,747

102.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 CA$3.62

$1.19 COP 3,755

119.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 CA$2.80

$1.16 COP 3,654

74.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.14 CA$23.82

$3.90 COP 12.3K

339.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.91 CA$23.50

$14.44 COP 45.6K

17.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.52 CA$6.29

$1.58 COP 4,997

186.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.28 CA$7.34

$2.83 COP 8,923

86.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.19 CA$3.04

$1.17 COP 3,686

87.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.9 CA$90.2

$77.7 COP 245.3K

-16.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 CA$4.65

$1.28 COP 4,054

161.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 CA$1.71

$2.09 COP 6,602

-41.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.97 CA$30.53

$8.62 COP 27.2K

154.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 CA$1.81

$1.30 COP 4,096

0.77%

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

$28.6K CA$39.8K

$27.7K COP 87.3M

3.52%

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

$22.5K CA$31.3K

$35.5K COP 112.0M

-36.62%

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

$146 CA$202

$176 COP 555.6K

-17.27%

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

$44.67 CA$62.1

$13.37 COP 42.2K

234.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.2 CA$96.2

$29.89 COP 94.3K

131.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.62 CA$57.8

$44.76 COP 141.2K

-7.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.38 CA$25.54

$17.06 COP 53.8K

7.74%

Cinema Ticket

$11.45 CA$15.91

$6.20 COP 19.6K

84.68%

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

$977 CA$1,358

$793 COP 2.5M

23.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K CA$21.2K

$9,019 COP 28.5M

68.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.5 CA$84.1

$85.6 COP 270.1K

-29.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.10 CA$48.77

$58.5 COP 184.5K

-39.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 CA$144

$136 COP 430.1K

-23.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$158

$103 COP 325.4K

10.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,484 CA$2,063

$1,060 COP 3.3M

40.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,269 CA$1,764

$680 COP 2.1M

86.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,486 CA$3,454

$2,012 COP 6.3M

23.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,976 CA$2,746

$1,169 COP 3.7M

69.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,233 CA$4,493

$4,111 COP 13.0M

-21.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,807 CA$3,901

$1,701 COP 5.4M

64.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,807 CA$3,901

$665 COP 2.1M

322.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.98

10.94

-54.48%

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

Last update for Halifax: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,484 in Halifax versus $1,060 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 322% 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 $74.0 in Halifax versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $415 vs $303 – 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: $2,537 in Halifax, $1,716 in Medellin – roughly 48% apart. Halifax costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,806 per month in Halifax and $2,574 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 20% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $977 per month in Halifax and $793 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,716, than in Halifax at $2,537. 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 $1,716 in Medellin to $2,537 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.