Cost of Living Comparison Between Hay River, NT and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Hay River, NT and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,296 per month in Hay River, NT vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,340 per month in Hay River, NT vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,383 per month in Hay River, NT vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Hay River, NT costs about 127% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Hay River, NT sits 71% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.77 CA$23.32

$5.99 COP 21.3K

179.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 CA$96.9

$32.86 COP 116.9K

111.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.07 CA$15.39

$7.09 COP 25.2K

56.14%

Cappuccino

$3.68 CA$5.11

$1.71 COP 6,093

115.20%

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

$2.07 CA$2.87

$1.10 COP 3,910

88.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.39

$0.78 COP 2,771

120.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.48 CA$7.62

$1.68 COP 5,976

226.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.01 CA$8.36

$3.07 COP 10.9K

95.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 CA$3.06

$1.09 COP 3,892

101.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 CA$3.76

$1.26 COP 4,492

114.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.61 CA$5.01

$1.38 COP 4,905

161.59%

Eggs

$3.40 CA$4.73

$2.19 COP 7,799

55.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.07 CA$15.39

$4.40 COP 15.7K

151.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.54 CA$16.05

$5.63 COP 20.0K

104.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.43 CA$20.07

$8.89 COP 31.6K

62.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.96 CA$5.51

$2.34 COP 8,319

69.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 CA$1.99

$1.06 COP 3,764

34.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.61 CA$5.03

$1.50 COP 5,355

140.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.12

$1.38 COP 4,906

166.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.38 CA$3.31

$1.15 COP 4,097

106.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 CA$3.53

$1.16 COP 4,141

118.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 CA$3.52

$0.89 COP 3,170

184.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 CA$2.48

$0.84 COP 2,986

113.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.20 CA$19.75

$2.28 COP 8,116

522.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 CA$17.87

$10.64 COP 37.9K

20.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 CA$3.97

$1.20 COP 4,268

138.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 CA$4.39

$2.47 COP 8,793

27.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 CA$3.38

$0.86 COP 3,045

182.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.5 CA$86.8

$41.40 COP 147.3K

50.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 CA$4.35

$1.47 COP 5,245

112.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 CA$1.99

$1.96 COP 6,984

-27.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.90 CA$36.01

$7.74 COP 27.5K

234.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 CA$1.63

$0.95 COP 3,397

23.16%

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

$24.8K CA$34.5K

$18.1K COP 64.5M

36.88%

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

$20.7K CA$28.7K

$26.5K COP 94.2M

-22.03%

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

$142 CA$197

$82.3 COP 292.7K

72.56%

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

$44.25 CA$61.5

$9.50 COP 33.8K

365.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.0 CA$87.6

$24.23 COP 86.2K

160.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.21 CA$58.7

$25.89 COP 92.1K

63.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

Cinema Ticket

$11.38 CA$15.82

$3.93 COP 14.0K

189.57%

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

$727 CA$1,012

$309 COP 1.1M

135.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K CA$16.6K

$5,965 COP 21.2M

99.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 CA$74.6

$58.7 COP 208.7K

-8.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.98 CA$55.6

$32.35 COP 115.1K

23.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 CA$122

$103 COP 365.1K

-14.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CA$151

$108 COP 385.8K

-0.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,327 CA$1,846

$476 COP 1.7M

178.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,158 CA$1,610

$379 COP 1.3M

205.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,046 CA$2,845

$838 COP 3.0M

144.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,794 CA$2,495

$724 COP 2.6M

147.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,755 CA$6,613

$2,791 COP 9.9M

70.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,160 CA$5,786

$1,211 COP 4.3M

243.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,369 CA$6,076

$512 COP 1.8M

753.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

13.43

-51.90%

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

Last update for Hay River, NT: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,327 in Hay River, NT 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 754% higher in Hay River, NT, 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 $70.0 in Hay River, NT versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $363 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

Hay River, NT vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hay River, NT costs about 127% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,444 per month in Hay River, NT 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,296 in Hay River, NT and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 51% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Hay River, NT at $2,296. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hay River, NT it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,013 versus $2,296 in Hay River, NT. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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