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 $1,703 per month in Saint John's vs $1,028 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,730 per month in Saint John's vs $1,586 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,756 per month in Saint John's vs $2,144 in Medellin, rent included.

Saint John's costs about 66% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Saint John's sits 28% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.65 EC$36.85

$6.00 COP 20.6K

127.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.9 EC$229

$32.84 COP 112.9K

158.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.07 EC$29.90

$7.42 COP 25.5K

49.19%

Cappuccino

$3.97 EC$10.73

$1.65 COP 5,675

140.61%

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

$2.10 EC$5.66

$1.07 COP 3,673

96.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 EC$2.52

$0.76 COP 2,614

22.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 EC$5.14

$1.72 COP 5,925

10.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 EC$12.18

$3.20 COP 11.0K

40.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 EC$6.04

$1.05 COP 3,607

113.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 EC$7.33

$1.31 COP 4,492

106.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 EC$5.12

$1.34 COP 4,604

41.79%

Eggs

$5.31 EC$14.33

$2.19 COP 7,543

142.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.30 EC$22.42

$4.41 COP 15.2K

88.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.02 EC$21.66

$5.69 COP 19.6K

40.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.3K

Apples (1kg)

$6.55 EC$17.68

$2.34 COP 8,046

179.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 EC$6.44

$1.11 COP 3,815

114.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.02 EC$21.66

$1.52 COP 5,225

427.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.19 EC$22.11

$1.37 COP 4,694

497.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.88 EC$7.79

$1.15 COP 3,962

150.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 EC$7.62

$1.18 COP 4,055

138.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.66 EC$7.19

$0.84 COP 2,893

216.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 EC$4.85

$0.86 COP 2,940

109.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,776

Wine (Bottle)

$8.87 EC$23.94

$11.60 COP 39.9K

-23.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 EC$7.31

$1.20 COP 4,121

125.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 EC$9.92

$2.48 COP 8,508

48.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 EC$2.79

$0.79 COP 2,729

30.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 140.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 EC$14.72

$1.47 COP 5,038

270.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.60 EC$15.12

$1.92 COP 6,587

191.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.10 EC$54.3

$7.77 COP 26.7K

158.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 EC$4.72

$1.01 COP 3,474

73.27%

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

$23.7K EC$63.9K

$17.7K COP 60.7M

33.99%

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

$20.4K EC$55.2K

$26.5K COP 90.9M

-22.78%

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

$128 EC$347

$81.1 COP 278.8K

58.32%

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

$40.33 EC$109

$9.43 COP 32.4K

327.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.3 EC$192

$23.86 COP 82.0K

198.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.5 EC$177

$25.99 COP 89.4K

151.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.73 EC$102

$18.71 COP 64.3K

101.66%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 EC$16.68

$4.09 COP 14.1K

51.10%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,885 EC$5,089

$6,022 COP 20.7M

-68.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 205.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.9K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.4 EC$201

$101 COP 347.9K

-26.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 361.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 EC$3,042

$485 COP 1.7M

132.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$742 EC$2,003

$365 COP 1.3M

103.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 EC$4,440

$827 COP 2.8M

98.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,501 EC$4,053

$730 COP 2.5M

105.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,377 EC$3,717

$551 COP 1.9M

149.95%

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,127 in Saint John's versus $485 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 $85.0 in Saint John's versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $349 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 66%, 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 $2,554 per month in Saint John's and $1,542 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 84% 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 $85.0 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 $1,028, than in Saint John's at $1,703. 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.