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 $1,860 per month in Sydney, NS vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,779 per month in Sydney, NS vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,698 per month in Sydney, NS vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Sydney, NS costs about 81% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Sydney, NS sits 39% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.82 CA$16.64

$6.16 COP 20.1K

91.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.0 CA$88.6

$32.60 COP 106.1K

93.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 CA$10.32

$7.34 COP 23.9K

Cappuccino

$2.88 CA$4.06

$1.72 COP 5,599

67.44%

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

$2.25 CA$3.17

$1.05 COP 3,420

114.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 CA$2.79

$0.77 COP 2,515

157.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.44 CA$7.66

$1.69 COP 5,487

221.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.92 CA$8.33

$3.17 COP 10.3K

86.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 CA$3.20

$1.05 COP 3,423

116.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 CA$3.78

$1.30 COP 4,236

106.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.52

$1.40 COP 4,544

78.57%

Eggs

$3.39 CA$4.77

$2.16 COP 7,046

56.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.68 CA$9.40

$4.39 COP 14.3K

52.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.23 CA$11.58

$5.88 COP 19.1K

39.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.45 CA$18.93

$8.64 COP 28.1K

55.67%

Apples (1kg)

$7.46 CA$10.50

$2.28 COP 7,425

227.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 CA$1.69

$1.11 COP 3,603

8.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.62 CA$5.09

$1.53 COP 4,982

136.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 CA$2.02

$1.35 COP 4,410

5.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 CA$1.23

$1.13 COP 3,674

-22.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 CA$3.55

$1.13 COP 3,692

123.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 CA$3.53

$0.85 COP 2,753

195.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.39

$0.91 COP 2,975

86.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.15 CA$25.54

$2.34 COP 7,629

675.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 CA$4.02

$1.20 COP 3,909

138.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 CA$6.24

$2.49 COP 8,104

78.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 CA$1.57

$0.84 COP 2,727

32.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.2 CA$70.6

$40.57 COP 132.1K

23.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.49 CA$6.32

$1.42 COP 4,623

216.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.09

$1.92 COP 6,235

-22.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.46 CA$35.82

$7.66 COP 24.9K

232.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.64

$0.99 COP 3,223

17.17%

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

$25.5K CA$35.8K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

41.30%

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

$20.4K CA$28.7K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-23.43%

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

$91.6 CA$129

$80.8 COP 263.1K

13.35%

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

$48.19 CA$67.8

$9.95 COP 32.4K

384.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.7 CA$106

$24.18 COP 78.7K

212.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.2 CA$72.1

$25.08 COP 81.6K

104.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.74 CA$5.26

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-80.47%

Cinema Ticket

$7.98 CA$11.23

$3.98 COP 13.0K

100.50%

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

$746 CA$1,050

$305 COP 993.4K

144.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K CA$16.5K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

93.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.9 CA$99.7

$58.1 COP 189.2K

21.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.6 CA$96.5

$32.20 COP 104.8K

112.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 CA$143

$101 COP 327.9K

0.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$155

$108 COP 350.8K

1.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,106 CA$1,557

$477 COP 1.6M

132.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 CA$1,117

$376 COP 1.2M

111.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,957 CA$2,754

$845 COP 2.7M

131.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,448 CA$2,038

$730 COP 2.4M

98.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,534 CA$3,566

$617 COP 2.0M

310.84%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,106 in Sydney, NS versus $477 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 311% 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 $63.0 in Sydney, NS versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $302 vs $193 – 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 81%, 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 $2,791 per month in Sydney, NS and $1,546 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 $63.0 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 $1,860 in Sydney, NS and $1,031 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 $1,031, than in Sydney, NS at $1,860. 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.