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 $2,312 per month in Hay River, NT vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,325 per month in Hay River, NT vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,338 per month in Hay River, NT vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Hay River, NT costs about 124% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Hay River, NT sits 73% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.22 CA$24.28

$6.16 COP 19.8K

179.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 CA$97.0

$32.60 COP 104.8K

110.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.21 CA$15.82

$7.34 COP 23.6K

52.72%

Cappuccino

$3.89 CA$5.49

$1.72 COP 5,527

126.16%

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

$1.96 CA$2.76

$1.05 COP 3,376

86.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.39

$0.77 COP 2,482

119.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.44 CA$7.67

$1.69 COP 5,417

221.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 CA$8.26

$3.17 COP 10.2K

84.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CA$3.09

$1.05 COP 3,379

108.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.83

$1.30 COP 4,181

109.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.67 CA$5.18

$1.40 COP 4,485

162.14%

Eggs

$3.38 CA$4.76

$2.16 COP 6,956

56.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.97 CA$15.47

$4.39 COP 14.1K

149.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.58 CA$16.33

$5.88 COP 18.9K

96.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.97 CA$21.12

$8.64 COP 27.8K

73.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.99 CA$5.63

$2.28 COP 7,330

75.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 CA$1.93

$1.11 COP 3,557

23.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.72 CA$5.25

$1.53 COP 4,918

143.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.81 CA$5.37

$1.35 COP 4,353

182.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 CA$3.51

$1.13 COP 3,627

120.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 CA$3.51

$1.13 COP 3,644

120.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.72

$0.85 COP 2,717

210.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 CA$2.50

$0.91 COP 2,937

94.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.87 CA$19.57

$2.34 COP 7,531

492.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.56 CA$17.71

$12.37 COP 39.7K

1.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 CA$4.07

$1.20 COP 3,859

140.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 CA$4.34

$2.49 COP 8,000

23.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 CA$3.31

$0.84 COP 2,692

178.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.5 CA$88.2

$40.57 COP 130.4K

54.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 CA$4.57

$1.42 COP 4,563

128.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.10

$1.92 COP 6,155

-22.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.32 CA$35.71

$7.66 COP 24.6K

230.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.59

$0.99 COP 3,181

14.14%

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

$25.2K CA$35.5K

$18.0K COP 57.9M

39.70%

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

$20.5K CA$28.9K

$26.6K COP 85.6M

-23.11%

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

$144 CA$203

$80.8 COP 259.7K

78.13%

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

$43.97 CA$62.0

$9.95 COP 32.0K

341.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.0 CA$88.9

$24.18 COP 77.7K

160.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.88 CA$59.1

$25.08 COP 80.6K

66.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 61.5K

Cinema Ticket

$11.27 CA$15.90

$3.98 COP 12.8K

183.17%

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

$731 CA$1,030

$305 COP 980.7K

139.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K CA$16.6K

$6,059 COP 19.5M

94.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 CA$77.0

$58.1 COP 186.8K

-6.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.11 CA$56.6

$32.20 COP 103.5K

24.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.6 CA$122

$101 COP 323.7K

-14.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$149

$108 COP 346.3K

-1.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,315 CA$1,854

$477 COP 1.5M

175.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,188 CA$1,676

$376 COP 1.2M

215.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,015 CA$2,842

$845 COP 2.7M

138.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,831 CA$2,582

$730 COP 2.3M

150.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,892 CA$6,901

$3,215 COP 10.3M

52.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,207 CA$4,523

$1,372 COP 4.4M

133.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,282 CA$6,040

$617 COP 2.0M

594.31%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,315 in Hay River, NT 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 594% 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 $69.0 in Hay River, NT versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $365 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

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

Hay River, NT costs about 124% 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 $3,468 per month in Hay River, NT 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,312 in Hay River, NT and $1,031 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 54% 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 $1,031, than in Hay River, NT at $2,312. 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 $1,031 versus $2,312 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.