Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney, NS and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney, NS and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,880 per month in Sydney, NS vs $1,014 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,831 per month in Sydney, NS vs $1,596 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,782 per month in Sydney, NS vs $2,178 in Medellin, rent included.

Sydney, NS costs about 85% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Sydney, NS sits 40% above the global median, while Medellin is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.69 CA$16.02

$6.14 COP 22.2K

90.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 CA$83.8

$33.05 COP 119.3K

85.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.06 CA$9.67

$7.32 COP 26.4K

-3.55%

Cappuccino

$3.00 CA$4.12

$1.66 COP 5,987

80.72%

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

$2.20 CA$3.01

$1.10 COP 3,987

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 CA$2.71

$0.78 COP 2,822

153.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.57 CA$7.64

$1.71 COP 6,188

225.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 CA$7.87

$3.17 COP 11.5K

81.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CA$3.09

$1.11 COP 4,012

102.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.59 CA$3.55

$1.31 COP 4,719

97.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.54 CA$3.48

$1.38 COP 4,980

84.06%

Eggs

$3.54 CA$4.85

$2.22 COP 8,009

59.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.57 CA$9.01

$4.34 COP 15.7K

51.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.72 CA$11.95

$5.80 COP 20.9K

50.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.88 CA$19.02

$8.98 COP 32.4K

54.57%

Apples (1kg)

$7.33 CA$10.05

$2.26 COP 8,164

224.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 CA$1.71

$1.11 COP 4,023

12.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.63 CA$4.98

$1.46 COP 5,284

148.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 CA$1.96

$1.37 COP 4,929

4.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 CA$1.16

$1.11 COP 4,009

-23.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.52 CA$3.45

$1.16 COP 4,199

117.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.43 CA$3.32

$0.89 COP 3,211

173.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.38

$0.87 COP 3,124

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.69 CA$25.61

$2.35 COP 8,495

695.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.68 CA$16.00

$10.86 COP 39.2K

7.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 CA$3.91

$1.20 COP 4,330

137.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 CA$5.88

$2.48 COP 8,946

72.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 CA$1.55

$0.79 COP 2,842

43.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.24 CA$67.5

$40.77 COP 147.2K

20.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.53 CA$6.21

$1.42 COP 5,137

219.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 CA$1.95

$1.91 COP 6,900

-25.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.31 CA$34.67

$7.65 COP 27.6K

230.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.58

$0.97 COP 3,490

19.59%

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

$24.9K CA$34.2K

$18.1K COP 65.3M

37.76%

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

$20.1K CA$27.5K

$26.3K COP 95.0M

-23.63%

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

$90.9 CA$124

$81.3 COP 293.5K

11.75%

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

$48.11 CA$65.9

$9.63 COP 34.8K

399.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.9 CA$105

$24.36 COP 88.0K

215.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.3 CA$68.9

$26.02 COP 93.9K

93.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.63 CA$4.98

$18.92 COP 68.3K

-80.81%

Cinema Ticket

$7.97 CA$10.91

$3.89 COP 14.0K

104.88%

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

$741 CA$1,015

$304 COP 1.1M

143.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K CA$16.2K

$5,902 COP 21.3M

100.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.7 CA$98.2

$58.7 COP 211.8K

22.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.1 CA$93.3

$32.48 COP 117.2K

109.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 CA$142

$102 COP 367.3K

2.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$149

$108 COP 390.4K

0.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 CA$1,491

$474 COP 1.7M

129.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$811 CA$1,111

$371 COP 1.3M

118.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,962 CA$2,687

$848 COP 3.1M

131.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,443 CA$1,977

$716 COP 2.6M

101.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,060 CA$6,933

$2,871 COP 10.4M

76.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,746 CA$5,132

$1,375 COP 5.0M

172.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,560 CA$3,507

$542 COP 2.0M

372.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.85

13.43

-48.99%

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

Last update for Sydney, NS: April 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,089 in Sydney, NS versus $474 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 373% higher in Sydney, NS, 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 $61 in Sydney, NS versus $33 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $328 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

Sydney, NS vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sydney, NS is pricier by about 85%, 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 $2,820 per month in Sydney, NS and $1,522 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 $61.0 in Sydney, NS 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 $1,880 in Sydney, NS and $1,014 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 $1,014, than in Sydney, NS at $1,880. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sydney, NS 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, Sydney, NS makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.