Cost of Living Comparison Between St John and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between St John and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,105 per month in St John vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,790 per month in St John vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,476 per month in St John vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

St John costs about 200% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

St John sits 132% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.56 $17.56

$5.92 COP 21.5K

196.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$161 $161

$32.75 COP 119.1K

390.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.60 $8.60

$7.20 COP 26.2K

19.44%

Cappuccino

$6.38 $6.38

$1.70 COP 6,186

275.29%

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

$3.02 $3.02

$1.10 COP 3,996

174.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.72 COP 2,625

184.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.32 $6.32

$1.67 COP 6,067

278.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 $7.12

$3.10 COP 11.3K

129.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.85 $2.85

$1.06 COP 3,837

168.87%

White Bread (500g)

$5.88 $5.88

$1.25 COP 4,531

370.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.39 COP 5,060

5.04%

Eggs

$6.22 $6.22

$2.26 COP 8,229

175.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.40 $17.40

$4.33 COP 15.8K

301.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$26.03 $26.03

$5.84 COP 21.2K

345.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 32.1K

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,159

Banana (1kg)

$4.92 $4.92

$1.08 COP 3,911

355.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,563

Tomato (1kg)

$8.88 $8.88

$1.37 COP 4,987

548.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,109

Onion (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$1.12 COP 4,067

291.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.92 $4.92

$0.85 COP 3,080

478.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,305

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,477

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,342

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 $5.90

$2.37 COP 8,617

148.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.84 $5.84

$0.79 COP 2,859

639.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$140 $140

$41.13 COP 149.6K

241.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,223

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 $3.04

$1.91 COP 6,952

59.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 29.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 $1.61

$0.94 COP 3,410

71.28%

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

$17.9K COP 65.2M

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

$23.3K $23.3K

$26.8K COP 97.4M

-13.16%

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

$243 $243

$84.0 COP 305.4K

189.58%

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

$9.60 COP 34.9K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.1 $61.1

$24.16 COP 87.9K

152.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 94.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.2K

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

$306 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K $13.7K

$5,919 COP 21.5M

131.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.7 $98.7

$57.9 COP 210.6K

70.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.0 $60.0

$31.82 COP 115.7K

88.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.9 $50.9

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-49.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.5 $50.5

$107 COP 389.7K

-52.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,217 $2,217

$487 COP 1.8M

355.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,799 $1,799

$368 COP 1.3M

388.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,996 $2,996

$716 COP 2.6M

318.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.2K $13.2K

$2,925 COP 10.6M

349.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,039 $4,039

$546 COP 2.0M

640.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.05

13.43

-47.51%

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

Last update for St John: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,217 in St John versus $487 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 640% higher in St John, 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 $161 in St John versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $415 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

St John vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – St John is pricier by about 200%, 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 $4,657 per month in St John and $1,550 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.

Public transport costs about 241% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 118% more in St John, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in St John at $3,105. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in St John 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, St John makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.