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 $1,730 per month in Saint John's vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,728 per month in Saint John's vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,727 per month in Saint John's vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Saint John's costs about 73% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Saint John's sits 30% above the global median, while Medellin is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.91 EC$37.56

$5.91 COP 18.6K

135.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.6 EC$223

$32.96 COP 103.8K

150.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.28 EC$30.45

$7.43 COP 23.4K

51.82%

Cappuccino

$3.86 EC$10.43

$1.65 COP 5,207

133.94%

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

$2.10 EC$5.66

$1.10 COP 3,468

90.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 EC$2.68

$0.78 COP 2,458

26.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 EC$4.92

$1.72 COP 5,412

5.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 EC$12.32

$3.18 COP 10.0K

43.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 EC$6.11

$1.10 COP 3,474

105.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 EC$7.31

$1.26 COP 3,962

115.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 EC$4.90

$1.38 COP 4,349

31.88%

Eggs

$5.44 EC$14.69

$2.18 COP 6,858

149.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.12 EC$21.93

$4.49 COP 14.1K

80.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.33 EC$22.50

$5.79 COP 18.2K

43.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

Apples (1kg)

$6.51 EC$17.57

$2.32 COP 7,308

180.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.42 EC$6.55

$1.06 COP 3,352

128.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.06 EC$21.77

$1.52 COP 4,774

430.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.27 EC$22.34

$1.36 COP 4,270

508.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.94 EC$7.94

$1.13 COP 3,552

160.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 EC$7.92

$1.17 COP 3,689

150.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 EC$6.79

$0.90 COP 2,838

180.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 EC$5.05

$0.90 COP 2,823

107.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

Wine (Bottle)

$9.20 EC$24.84

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-24.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 EC$7.40

$1.19 COP 3,743

130.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 EC$9.72

$2.48 COP 7,815

45.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 EC$2.70

$0.85 COP 2,687

17.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 EC$14.63

$1.42 COP 4,459

281.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.69 EC$15.38

$1.95 COP 6,141

191.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.86 EC$53.6

$7.89 COP 24.8K

151.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 EC$4.57

$0.99 COP 3,118

70.71%

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

$24.0K EC$64.8K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

36.39%

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

$20.8K EC$56.2K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-22.34%

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

$131 EC$353

$83.0 COP 261.4K

57.54%

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

$40.15 EC$108

$9.70 COP 30.5K

313.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.2 EC$198

$23.52 COP 74.1K

211.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.6 EC$177

$25.26 COP 79.5K

159.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.64 EC$98.9

$19.10 COP 60.1K

91.83%

Cinema Ticket

$5.93 EC$16.01

$3.95 COP 12.4K

50.13%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,836 EC$4,958

$5,975 COP 18.8M

-69.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 EC$200

$102 COP 320.1K

-27.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 EC$2,943

$475 COP 1.5M

129.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$732 EC$1,977

$374 COP 1.2M

95.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,671 EC$4,512

$849 COP 2.7M

96.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,487 EC$4,014

$719 COP 2.3M

106.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,354 EC$3,656

$624 COP 2.0M

116.87%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,090 in Saint John's versus $475 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 117% 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 $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

Saint John's vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Saint John's is pricier by about 73%, 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 $2,595 per month in Saint John's and $1,504 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 82% 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 $1,003, than in Saint John's at $1,730. 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.