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 $2,136 per month in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,210 per month in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,285 per month in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador costs about 30% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador and Medellin sit above the global median – St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador by 55%, Medellin by 19%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.36 CA$25.47

$8.04 COP 24.8K

128.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.3 CA$100

$48.29 COP 148.7K

49.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.09 CA$16.76

$9.42 COP 29.0K

28.34%

Cappuccino

$4.13 CA$5.73

$2.94 COP 9,045

40.48%

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

$2.54 CA$3.53

$1.86 COP 5,738

36.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 CA$3.08

$1.46 COP 4,481

52.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.15 CA$7.14

$3.21 COP 9,887

60.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.42 CA$7.51

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-5.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.86 CA$3.97

$1.44 COP 4,431

98.61%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 CA$4.33

$2.40 COP 7,393

30.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.49 CA$6.23

$1.70 COP 5,230

164.12%

Eggs

$3.62 CA$5.02

$2.89 COP 8,901

25.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.47 CA$15.91

$10.06 COP 31.0K

14.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.64 CA$18.92

$9.97 COP 30.7K

36.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.15 CA$16.86

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-14.44%

Apples (1kg)

$4.70 CA$6.52

$3.98 COP 12.3K

18.09%

Banana (1kg)

$3.12 CA$4.33

$1.58 COP 4,880

97.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.92 CA$6.82

$2.15 COP 6,627

128.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.97 CA$4.12

$2.30 COP 7,082

29.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 CA$3.84

$2.00 COP 6,172

38.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 CA$3.21

$1.51 COP 4,648

52.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.31 CA$5.98

$1.20 COP 3,703

259.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 CA$2.82

$1.28 COP 3,948

58.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.30 CA$19.83

$3.84 COP 11.8K

272.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.35 CA$22.67

$14.01 COP 43.1K

16.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.20 CA$5.82

$1.71 COP 5,259

145.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.42 CA$6.12

$2.74 COP 8,444

61.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.79 CA$2.49

$1.25 COP 3,836

43.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.2 CA$79.3

$77.9 COP 239.9K

-26.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 CA$4.44

$1.31 COP 4,018

144.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 CA$2.54

$2.17 COP 6,684

-15.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.29 CA$40.62

$8.29 COP 25.5K

253.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 CA$1.79

$1.36 COP 4,174

-5.15%

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

$28.2K CA$39.1K

$27.5K COP 84.6M

2.56%

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

$22.3K CA$31.0K

$36.5K COP 112.5M

-38.84%

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

$185 CA$257

$169 COP 519.5K

9.83%

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

$42.87 CA$59.5

$13.57 COP 41.8K

215.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.2 CA$106

$28.32 COP 87.2K

169.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.7 CA$93.9

$45.71 COP 140.8K

48.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.54 CA$27.10

$17.22 COP 53.0K

13.47%

Cinema Ticket

$10.71 CA$14.86

$6.65 COP 20.5K

61.05%

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

$535 CA$741

$803 COP 2.5M

-33.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,997 CA$13.9K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

8.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.5 CA$93.6

$87.4 COP 269.0K

-22.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.3 CA$71.1

$59.4 COP 182.8K

-13.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.3 CA$113

$139 COP 427.7K

-41.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.1 CA$132

$102 COP 314.2K

-6.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 CA$1,390

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-6.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 CA$1,102

$653 COP 2.0M

21.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,571 CA$2,178

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-18.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,392 CA$1,930

$1,048 COP 3.2M

32.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,992 CA$2,762

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-51.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,635 CA$2,268

$1,697 COP 5.2M

-3.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,831 CA$3,926

$655 COP 2.0M

332.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.57

10.94

-58.23%

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

Last update for St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador: September 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,003 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador versus $1,071 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 332% 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 $72.0 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $425 vs $300 – 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 30%, 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 $3,204 per month in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador and $2,462 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 $72.0 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador 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 $2,136 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador and $1,641 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 $1,641, than in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador at $2,136. 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.