Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint John, New Brunswick and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint John, New Brunswick and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,080 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,071 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,062 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Saint John, New Brunswick costs about 105% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Saint John, New Brunswick sits 55% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.24 CA$30.93

$5.99 COP 21.3K

271.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.4 CA$85.3

$32.86 COP 116.9K

86.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.29 CA$14.31

$7.09 COP 25.2K

45.13%

Cappuccino

$3.13 CA$4.35

$1.71 COP 6,093

83.04%

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

$1.67 CA$2.32

$1.10 COP 3,910

51.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 CA$1.63

$0.78 COP 2,771

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.39 CA$6.11

$1.68 COP 5,976

161.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.11 CA$7.10

$3.07 COP 10.9K

66.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 CA$2.78

$1.09 COP 3,892

83.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 CA$4.02

$1.26 COP 4,492

129.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 CA$2.52

$1.38 COP 4,905

31.16%

Eggs

$3.57 CA$4.97

$2.19 COP 7,799

63.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.72 CA$16.30

$4.40 COP 15.7K

166.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.08 CA$12.63

$5.63 COP 20.0K

61.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 CA$22.56

$8.89 COP 31.6K

82.45%

Apples (1kg)

$4.06 CA$5.65

$2.34 COP 8,319

73.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 CA$2.01

$1.06 COP 3,764

36.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 CA$4.98

$1.50 COP 5,355

138.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.42 CA$6.15

$1.38 COP 4,906

220.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 CA$2.88

$1.15 COP 4,097

80.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 CA$2.92

$1.16 COP 4,141

81.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.65 CA$3.68

$0.89 COP 3,170

197.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.01

$0.84 COP 2,986

72.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.72 CA$26.03

$2.28 COP 8,116

721.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.00 CA$13.91

$10.64 COP 37.9K

-6.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.34 CA$4.65

$1.20 COP 4,268

178.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 CA$4.63

$2.47 COP 8,793

34.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.15 CA$3.00

$0.86 COP 3,045

150.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.0 CA$82.0

$41.40 COP 147.3K

42.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 CA$5.24

$1.47 COP 5,245

156.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 CA$1.63

$1.96 COP 6,984

-40.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.32 CA$40.77

$7.74 COP 27.5K

278.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.70

$0.95 COP 3,397

28.42%

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

$25.2K CA$35.0K

$18.1K COP 64.5M

38.87%

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

$20.1K CA$27.9K

$26.5K COP 94.2M

-24.20%

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

$127 CA$177

$82.3 COP 292.7K

54.99%

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

$37.17 CA$51.7

$9.50 COP 33.8K

291.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.0 CA$87.6

$24.23 COP 86.2K

159.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.12 CA$58.6

$25.89 COP 92.1K

62.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.97 CA$51.4

$19.00 COP 67.6K

94.58%

Cinema Ticket

$10.97 CA$15.25

$3.93 COP 14.0K

179.13%

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

$164 CA$228

$309 COP 1.1M

-47.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K CA$16.3K

$5,965 COP 21.2M

96.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.72 CA$58.0

$58.7 COP 208.7K

-28.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.98 CA$58.4

$32.35 COP 115.1K

29.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.5 CA$122

$103 COP 365.1K

-14.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 CA$169

$108 COP 385.8K

12.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,053 CA$1,464

$476 COP 1.7M

121.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$944 CA$1,313

$379 COP 1.3M

149.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,611 CA$2,241

$838 COP 3.0M

92.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,400 CA$1,948

$724 COP 2.6M

93.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,090 CA$2,907

$2,791 COP 9.9M

-25.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,159 CA$3,002

$1,211 COP 4.3M

78.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,682 CA$3,729

$512 COP 1.8M

423.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.18

13.43

-53.98%

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

Last update for Saint John, New Brunswick: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,053 in Saint John, New Brunswick 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 424% higher in Saint John, New Brunswick, 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 $61.0 in Saint John, New Brunswick versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $347 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

Saint John, New Brunswick vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Saint John, New Brunswick is pricier by about 105%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,120 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Saint John, New Brunswick and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,080 in Saint John, New Brunswick and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Saint John, New Brunswick at $2,080. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saint John, New Brunswick it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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