Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint John's and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint John's and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,671 per month in Saint John's vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,722 per month in Saint John's vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,772 per month in Saint John's vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Saint John's costs about 62% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Saint John's sits 25% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.82 EC$37.32

$5.92 COP 21.4K

133.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.1 EC$224

$32.75 COP 118.2K

153.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 EC$29.55

$7.20 COP 26.0K

51.94%

Cappuccino

$4.00 EC$10.81

$1.70 COP 6,140

135.29%

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

$2.05 EC$5.53

$1.10 COP 3,966

86.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 EC$2.47

$0.72 COP 2,605

26.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 EC$4.95

$1.67 COP 6,022

9.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 EC$11.76

$3.10 COP 11.2K

40.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 EC$6.05

$1.06 COP 3,809

111.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.83 EC$7.64

$1.25 COP 4,497

126.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 EC$5.12

$1.39 COP 5,022

36.69%

Eggs

$5.35 EC$14.44

$2.26 COP 8,168

136.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.24 EC$22.25

$4.33 COP 15.6K

90.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.21 EC$22.17

$5.84 COP 21.1K

40.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

Apples (1kg)

$6.51 EC$17.57

$2.24 COP 8,099

190.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.40 EC$6.49

$1.08 COP 3,882

122.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.06 EC$21.77

$1.53 COP 5,522

426.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.21 EC$22.17

$1.37 COP 4,950

499.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.88 EC$7.78

$1.13 COP 4,078

154.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 EC$7.92

$1.12 COP 4,036

161.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 EC$7.06

$0.85 COP 3,057

208.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 EC$4.87

$0.91 COP 3,281

97.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

Wine (Bottle)

$9.17 EC$24.77

$11.13 COP 40.2K

-17.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 EC$7.24

$1.19 COP 4,309

125.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 EC$10.18

$2.37 COP 8,553

59.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 EC$2.80

$0.79 COP 2,838

31.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.43 EC$14.67

$1.44 COP 5,184

277.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.70 EC$15.39

$1.91 COP 6,901

198.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.66 EC$53.1

$8.02 COP 28.9K

145.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 EC$4.72

$0.94 COP 3,385

86.17%

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

$24.1K EC$65.2K

$17.9K COP 64.7M

34.69%

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

$20.7K EC$55.9K

$26.8K COP 96.7M

-22.78%

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

$130 EC$352

$84.0 COP 303.1K

55.34%

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

$40.98 EC$111

$9.60 COP 34.7K

326.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.1 EC$195

$24.16 COP 87.2K

198.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.4 EC$174

$25.88 COP 93.4K

149.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.92 EC$99.7

$19.04 COP 68.7K

93.91%

Cinema Ticket

$6.05 EC$16.34

$3.92 COP 14.1K

54.34%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,831 EC$4,945

$5,919 COP 21.4M

-69.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.4 EC$198

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-26.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,108 EC$2,992

$487 COP 1.8M

127.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$752 EC$2,030

$368 COP 1.3M

104.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,645 EC$4,442

$826 COP 3.0M

99.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,494 EC$4,035

$716 COP 2.6M

108.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,361 EC$3,675

$546 COP 2.0M

149.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

13.43

-59.05%

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

Last update for Saint John's: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,108 in Saint John's versus $487 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 150% higher in Saint John's, 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 $83.0 in Saint John's versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $190 – 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's vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Saint John's is pricier by about 62%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,507 per month in Saint John's and $1,550 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.

Groceries cost about 85% more in Saint John's, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83.0 in Saint John's and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Saint John's at $1,671. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saint John's 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.

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, Saint John's makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.