Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,639 a month against $2,128 in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Medellin, Colombia
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,128
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,128 per month in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador vs $1,639 in Medellin, rent included.

  • St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador $2,128
  • Medellin $1,639

A couple spends around $3,149 per month in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador vs $2,413 in Medellin, rent included.

  • St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador $3,149
  • Medellin $2,413

A family of three spends $4,170 per month in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador vs $3,186 in Medellin, rent included.

  • St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador $4,170
  • Medellin $3,186

St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador costs about 30% more than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador and Medellin sit above the global median – St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador by 56%, Medellin by 20%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.60 CA$24.62
$8.09 COP 25.6K
117.55%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$72.0 CA$101
$47.05 COP 148.9K
53.07%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.73 CA$16.41
$9.50 COP 30.1K
23.47%
Cappuccino
$4.03 CA$5.64
$3.01 COP 9,540
33.89%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.59 CA$3.62
$1.80 COP 5,693
43.89%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.20 CA$3.08
$1.41 COP 4,469
56.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.87 CA$6.82
$3.18 COP 10.0K
53.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.43 CA$7.59
$5.75 COP 18.2K
-5.57%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.77 CA$3.88
$1.51 COP 4,778
83.44%
White Bread (500g)
$3.07 CA$4.30
$2.38 COP 7,524
28.99%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.28 CA$5.99
$1.77 COP 5,606
141.81%
Eggs
$3.87 CA$5.42
$2.89 COP 9,146
33.91%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.53 CA$16.13
$10.19 COP 32.2K
13.15%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.32 CA$18.63
$9.87 COP 31.2K
34.95%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.81 CA$16.53
$13.99 COP 44.3K
-15.58%
Apples (1kg)
$4.85 CA$6.78
$3.97 COP 12.6K
22.17%
Banana (1kg)
$3.09 CA$4.33
$1.55 COP 4,911
99.35%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.80 CA$6.71
$2.18 COP 6,907
120.18%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.08 CA$4.30
$2.18 COP 6,910
41.28%
Potato (1kg)
$2.65 CA$3.70
$1.96 COP 6,210
35.20%
Onion (1kg)
$2.31 CA$3.23
$1.59 COP 5,029
45.28%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.86 CA$4.00
$1.15 COP 3,625
148.70%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.02 CA$2.82
$1.24 COP 3,934
62.90%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.80 CA$19.30
$3.96 COP 12.5K
248.48%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.10 CA$22.52
$13.68 COP 43.3K
17.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.19 CA$5.87
$1.66 COP 5,252
152.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.33 CA$6.06
$2.26 COP 7,145
91.59%
🚌 Getting Around
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.83 CA$2.56
$1.17 COP 3,696
56.41%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$55.7 CA$77.9
$77.4 COP 244.8K
-28.03%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.22 CA$4.51
$1.27 COP 4,013
153.54%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.75 CA$2.45
$2.05 COP 6,480
-14.63%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$28.39 CA$39.71
$8.55 COP 27.1K
232.05%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.39 CA$1.94
$1.35 COP 4,262
2.96%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.6K CA$40.1K
$34.1K COP 107.8M
-15.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.8K CA$33.4K
$34.7K COP 109.7M
-31.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$182 CA$255
$170 COP 536.8K
7.34%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$41.72 CA$58.4
$13.55 COP 42.9K
207.90%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$76.6 CA$107
$28.07 COP 88.8K
172.82%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.1 CA$95.3
$43.70 COP 138.3K
55.93%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.14 CA$26.77
$17.19 COP 54.4K
11.34%
Cinema Ticket
$10.63 CA$14.87
$6.91 COP 21.9K
53.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$535 CA$748
$797 COP 2.5M
-32.84%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,862 CA$13.8K
$9,112 COP 28.8M
8.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$66.9 CA$93.6
$84.7 COP 268.1K
-21.00%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.5 CA$72.0
$58.0 COP 183.4K
-11.20%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$81.7 CA$114
$135 COP 427.1K
-39.47%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$96.2 CA$135
$97.9 COP 309.7K
-1.71%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,041 CA$1,457
$1,208 COP 3.8M
-13.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$836 CA$1,169
$642 COP 2.0M
30.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,540 CA$2,153
$2,028 COP 6.4M
-24.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,322 CA$1,849
$1,012 COP 3.2M
30.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,435 CA$3,405
$4,170 COP 13.2M
-41.62%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,776 CA$2,484
$1,910 COP 6.0M
-7.04%
💵 Salaries & Financials
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,823 CA$3,949
$657 COP 2.1M
329.61%
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: October 24, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
$836
Medellin
$642 23.3% $194
Groceries & Markets
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
$415
Medellin
$297 28.5% $118
Monthly Utilities & Internet
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
$300
Medellin
$211 29.7% $89
Eating Out
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
$279
Medellin
$170 39.2% $109
Clothing & Footwear
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
$133
Medellin
$169 26.7% $36
Sport & Entertainment
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
$89
Medellin
$58 35.7% $32
Getting Around
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
$75
Medellin
$94 24.8% $19

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,041 in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador versus $1,208 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 in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador are about 4.3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $72 in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador versus $47 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $415 vs $297 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇦 St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
22:35 10:35 PM
20:05 8:05 PM
2 h 30 min behind St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
110,525
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.715 USD). 1 EUR = 1.56 CAD (1 CAD = 0.642 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 3,164 COP (10,000 COP = 3.16 USD). 1 EUR = 3,523 COP (10,000 COP = 2.84 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador Medellin 5,080 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
  • Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Medellin cheaper than St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador?
Yes – St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador is pricier by about 30%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,192 per month in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador and $2,459 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,041 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.
Is eating out cheaper in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador or in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $72 in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador and $47 in Medellin. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador and in Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,128 in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador and $1,639 in Medellin. That makes Medellin about 23% cheaper.
Is $2,500 enough for either St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador or Medellin?
$2,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $2,128 in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador and $1,639 in Medellin, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is it better to live in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador or in Medellin?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,639 in Medellin to $2,128 in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries 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.

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