Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergamo and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergamo and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,846 in Bergamo versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,746 in Bergamo versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,645 in Bergamo versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Bergamo is roughly 79% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bergamo is 38% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.81 €16.43

$6.16 COP 20.0K

205.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.2 €82.3

$32.60 COP 106.0K

188.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.53 €10.07

$7.34 COP 23.9K

57.08%

Cappuccino

$1.99 €1.74

$1.72 COP 5,592

15.70%

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

$3.29 €2.87

$1.05 COP 3,416

213.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 €1.33

$0.77 COP 2,511

97.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.68 €4.96

$1.69 COP 5,480

236.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 €5.11

$3.17 COP 10.3K

84.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 €1.70

$1.05 COP 3,418

85.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 €1.61

$1.30 COP 4,230

42.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.04 €3.53

$1.40 COP 4,538

188.57%

Eggs

$4.87 €4.25

$2.16 COP 7,037

125.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.98 €14.84

$4.39 COP 14.3K

286.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.07 €10.55

$5.88 COP 19.1K

105.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.29 €16.85

$8.64 COP 28.1K

123.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 €2.54

$2.28 COP 7,415

27.19%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 €1.92

$1.11 COP 3,599

97.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 €2.94

$1.53 COP 4,976

120.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.72 €3.25

$1.35 COP 4,405

175.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 €2.06

$1.13 COP 3,669

108.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 €1.66

$1.13 COP 3,687

68.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 €2.19

$0.85 COP 2,749

194.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 €0.57

$0.91 COP 2,971

-28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.99

$2.34 COP 7,619

192.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.50 €3.93

$12.37 COP 40.2K

-63.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 €1.62

$1.20 COP 3,904

54.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 €2.35

$2.49 COP 8,094

8.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 €1.75

$0.84 COP 2,724

139.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.4 €44.93

$40.57 COP 131.9K

26.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.14 €7.98

$1.42 COP 4,617

543.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 €1.84

$1.92 COP 6,227

9.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.05 €35.86

$7.66 COP 24.9K

435.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 €1.84

$0.99 COP 3,219

113.13%

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

$33.0K €28.8K

$18.0K COP 58.6M

83.03%

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

$34.4K €30.1K

$26.6K COP 86.6M

29.27%

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

$247 €216

$80.8 COP 262.7K

205.52%

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

$13.92 €12.16

$9.95 COP 32.3K

39.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.94 €27.90

$24.18 COP 78.6K

32.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.22 €35.14

$25.08 COP 81.5K

60.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.57 €20.59

$19.15 COP 62.3K

23.08%

Cinema Ticket

$12.48 €10.91

$3.98 COP 13.0K

213.57%

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

$702 €613

$305 COP 992.2K

129.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K €11.6K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

118.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.5 €72.9

$58.1 COP 189.0K

43.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.49 €37.12

$32.20 COP 104.7K

31.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 €74.3

$101 COP 327.5K

-15.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 €103

$108 COP 350.3K

9.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$859 €751

$477 COP 1.5M

80.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$665 €581

$376 COP 1.2M

76.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,030 €1,774

$845 COP 2.7M

140.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$913 €798

$730 COP 2.4M

24.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,437 €3,003

$3,215 COP 10.5M

6.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,505 €2,189

$1,372 COP 4.5M

82.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,374 €2,074

$617 COP 2.0M

284.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.27

13.43

-68.21%

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

Last update for Bergamo: July 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $859 in Bergamo and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergamo pays 285% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $94.0 in Bergamo vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $355 vs $193 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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

Bergamo vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bergamo and Medellin differ by about 79% in total monthly costs ($1,846 vs $1,031 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 285% higher in Bergamo, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $859 in Bergamo versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $94.0 in Bergamo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,846 per month in Bergamo versus $1,031 in Medellin – a 79% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,846 in Bergamo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Bergamo. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Bergamo and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 79% less than in Bergamo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.