Cost of Living Comparison Between St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,071 per month in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,131 per month in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,191 per month in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador costs about 105% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador sits 55% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.72 CA$25.91

$5.99 COP 21.4K

212.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.3 CA$102

$32.86 COP 117.4K

123.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.66 CA$16.14

$7.09 COP 25.3K

64.46%

Cappuccino

$3.32 CA$4.60

$1.71 COP 6,115

94.15%

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

$2.48 CA$3.44

$1.10 COP 3,924

125.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 CA$2.50

$0.78 COP 2,781

130.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.02 CA$6.95

$1.68 COP 5,997

198.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.21 CA$7.22

$3.07 COP 11.0K

69.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.94 CA$4.07

$1.09 COP 3,906

169.72%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 CA$4.55

$1.26 COP 4,508

161.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.50 CA$6.23

$1.38 COP 4,922

226.09%

Eggs

$3.89 CA$5.39

$2.19 COP 7,827

77.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.75 CA$12.11

$4.40 COP 15.7K

98.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.85 CA$17.79

$5.63 COP 20.1K

128.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.19 CA$15.50

$8.89 COP 31.8K

25.87%

Apples (1kg)

$5.54 CA$7.67

$2.34 COP 8,349

136.75%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 CA$3.06

$1.06 COP 3,777

108.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.33 CA$7.37

$1.50 COP 5,374

255.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.02 CA$4.19

$1.38 COP 4,924

118.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 CA$3.05

$1.15 COP 4,111

91.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 CA$3.68

$1.16 COP 4,155

129.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.36 CA$4.66

$0.89 COP 3,182

277.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 CA$3.12

$0.84 COP 2,997

167.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.71 CA$20.36

$2.28 COP 8,145

545.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.28 CA$19.77

$10.64 COP 38.0K

34.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 CA$5.81

$1.20 COP 4,284

249.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 CA$6.51

$2.47 COP 8,824

90.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.80 CA$2.50

$0.86 COP 3,056

109.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.6 CA$79.7

$41.40 COP 147.9K

39.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 CA$4.54

$1.47 COP 5,264

123.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 CA$2.38

$1.96 COP 7,009

-12.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.11 CA$41.70

$7.74 COP 27.6K

289.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 CA$1.73

$0.95 COP 3,409

31.58%

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

$24.9K CA$34.5K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

37.47%

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

$22.0K CA$30.5K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-16.92%

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

$198 CA$275

$82.3 COP 293.7K

141.17%

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

$58.2 CA$80.6

$9.50 COP 33.9K

512.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.9 CA$108

$24.23 COP 86.5K

221.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.7 CA$108

$25.89 COP 92.4K

199.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.85 CA$15.03

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-42.89%

Cinema Ticket

$8.93 CA$12.37

$3.93 COP 14.0K

127.23%

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

$505 CA$699

$309 COP 1.1M

63.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,949 CA$12.4K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

50.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 CA$95.0

$58.7 COP 209.5K

16.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 CA$71.9

$32.35 COP 115.5K

60.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 CA$119

$103 COP 366.4K

-16.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.7 CA$134

$108 COP 387.2K

-10.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 CA$1,312

$476 COP 1.7M

98.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$751 CA$1,040

$379 COP 1.4M

98.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,439 CA$1,993

$838 COP 3.0M

71.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,291 CA$1,787

$724 COP 2.6M

78.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,051 CA$2,840

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-26.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,613 CA$2,234

$1,211 COP 4.3M

33.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,870 CA$3,974

$512 COP 1.8M

460.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.77

13.43

-49.59%

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

Last update for St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador 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 461% higher in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, 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 $73.0 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $409 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

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador is pricier by about 105%, 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 $3,107 per month in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador 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 $73.0 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador 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 $2,071 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador 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 St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador at $2,071. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador 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, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.