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 $1,970 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,928 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,887 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Saint John, New Brunswick costs about 15% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Saint John, New Brunswick and Medellin sit above the global median – Saint John, New Brunswick by 43%, Medellin by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.25 CA$26.64

$8.03 COP 25.1K

139.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.6 CA$83.8

$48.26 COP 150.8K

25.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 CA$15.12

$9.77 COP 30.5K

11.77%

Cappuccino

$3.16 CA$4.37

$2.91 COP 9,095

8.59%

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

$1.81 CA$2.51

$1.94 COP 6,074

-6.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 CA$1.52

$1.52 COP 4,754

-27.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.59 CA$6.35

$3.09 COP 9,663

48.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.14 CA$7.11

$5.74 COP 17.9K

-10.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CA$3.03

$1.36 COP 4,262

61.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 CA$3.74

$2.39 COP 7,460

12.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.22 CA$4.45

$1.70 COP 5,314

89.41%

Eggs

$3.69 CA$5.11

$2.87 COP 8,967

28.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.85 CA$19.17

$9.94 COP 31.1K

39.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.81 CA$14.96

$10.78 COP 33.7K

0.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.14 CA$18.18

$14.73 COP 46.0K

-10.79%

Apples (1kg)

$5.15 CA$7.13

$4.09 COP 12.8K

25.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 CA$2.12

$1.57 COP 4,911

-1.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.31 CA$5.96

$2.13 COP 6,642

102.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.06 CA$5.62

$2.21 COP 6,917

83.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 CA$2.94

$2.05 COP 6,396

3.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 CA$3.10

$1.50 COP 4,700

49.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.66 CA$3.67

$1.19 COP 3,718

123.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 CA$2.04

$1.16 COP 3,619

26.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.66 CA$20.29

$3.90 COP 12.2K

275.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.98 CA$13.81

$14.44 COP 45.1K

-30.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 CA$2.56

$1.58 COP 4,948

17.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 CA$2.94

$2.83 COP 8,836

-24.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.19 CA$3.03

$1.17 COP 3,650

87.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.8 CA$80.0

$77.7 COP 242.9K

-25.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 CA$4.09

$1.28 COP 4,014

130.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 CA$1.68

$2.09 COP 6,537

-41.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.97 CA$30.41

$8.62 COP 26.9K

154.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.68

$1.30 COP 4,056

-6.92%

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

$25.4K CA$35.2K

$27.7K COP 86.4M

-8.07%

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

$19.4K CA$26.9K

$35.5K COP 110.9M

-45.29%

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

$124 CA$172

$176 COP 550.1K

-29.41%

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

$41.81 CA$57.9

$13.37 COP 41.8K

212.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.4 CA$90.5

$29.89 COP 93.4K

118.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.6 CA$75.5

$44.76 COP 139.8K

21.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.76 CA$49.49

$17.06 COP 53.3K

109.61%

Cinema Ticket

$12.76 CA$17.65

$6.20 COP 19.4K

105.81%

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

$384 CA$531

$793 COP 2.5M

-51.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K CA$15.9K

$9,019 COP 28.2M

27.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.5 CA$71.2

$85.6 COP 267.5K

-39.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.92 CA$49.70

$58.5 COP 182.7K

-38.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 CA$147

$136 COP 425.9K

-21.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$153

$103 COP 322.2K

7.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,011 CA$1,399

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-4.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 CA$1,163

$680 COP 2.1M

23.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,637 CA$2,265

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-18.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,335 CA$1,847

$1,169 COP 3.7M

14.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,072 CA$2,867

$4,111 COP 12.8M

-49.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,192 CA$3,033

$1,701 COP 5.3M

28.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,491 CA$3,447

$665 COP 2.1M

274.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.69

10.94

-57.13%

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

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,011 in Saint John, New Brunswick 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 274% 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 $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $357 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

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

Yes – Saint John, New Brunswick is pricier by about 15%, 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 $2,955 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Saint John, New Brunswick and $48.00 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 $1,970 in Saint John, New Brunswick and $1,716 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,716, than in Saint John, New Brunswick at $1,970. 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.