Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen County, NJ and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen County, NJ and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,259 in Bergen County, NJ versus $1,716 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,407 in Bergen County, NJ versus $2,527 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,555 in Bergen County, NJ versus $3,338 in Medellin.

Living in Bergen County, NJ is roughly 148% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bergen County, NJ 210% above, Medellin 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.15 $22.15

$8.03 COP 25.1K

175.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.8 $83.8

$48.26 COP 151.0K

73.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.57 $12.57

$9.77 COP 30.6K

28.66%

Cappuccino

$5.30 $5.30

$2.91 COP 9,107

82.13%

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

$3.02 $3.02

$1.94 COP 6,082

55.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.52 COP 4,760

47.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.86 $7.86

$3.09 COP 9,676

154.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$5.74 COP 18.0K

39.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.36 COP 4,267

3.68%

White Bread (500g)

$4.52 $4.52

$2.39 COP 7,470

89.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.68 $8.68

$1.70 COP 5,321

410.59%

Eggs

$5.29 $5.29

$2.87 COP 8,979

84.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.52 $12.52

$9.94 COP 31.1K

25.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.65 $11.65

$10.78 COP 33.7K

8.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.38 $17.38

$14.73 COP 46.1K

17.99%

Apples (1kg)

$5.37 $5.37

$4.09 COP 12.8K

31.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.57 COP 4,917

7.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.03 $5.03

$2.13 COP 6,651

136.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 $5.08

$2.21 COP 6,926

129.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.05 COP 6,404

35.61%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$1.50 COP 4,706

110.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.19 COP 3,723

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.16 COP 3,623

112.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.15 $13.15

$3.90 COP 12.2K

237.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.64 $23.64

$14.44 COP 45.2K

63.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.58 COP 4,955

8.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 $4.44

$2.83 COP 8,847

56.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.14 $4.14

$1.17 COP 3,655

253.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$168 $168

$77.7 COP 243.2K

115.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 $2.68

$1.28 COP 4,019

109.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.09 COP 6,546

-26.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.59 $23.59

$8.62 COP 27.0K

173.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.30 COP 4,061

-18.46%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$27.7K COP 86.5M

32.60%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$35.5K COP 111.1M

-29.58%

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

$207 $207

$176 COP 550.9K

17.42%

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

$77.1 $77.1

$13.37 COP 41.8K

476.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.5 $67.5

$29.89 COP 93.5K

125.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$101 $101

$44.76 COP 140.0K

124.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.77 $49.77

$17.06 COP 53.4K

191.74%

Cinema Ticket

$14.88 $14.88

$6.20 COP 19.4K

140.00%

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

$2,257 $2,257

$793 COP 2.5M

184.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$9,019 COP 28.2M

163.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.41 $49.41

$85.6 COP 267.8K

-42.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.40 $46.40

$58.5 COP 182.9K

-20.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 $79.7

$136 COP 426.4K

-41.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$150 $150

$103 COP 322.6K

45.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,729 $2,729

$1,060 COP 3.3M

157.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,678 $2,678

$680 COP 2.1M

294.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,703 $4,703

$2,012 COP 6.3M

133.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,956 $2,956

$1,169 COP 3.7M

152.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,914 $3,914

$4,111 COP 12.9M

-4.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,785 $3,785

$1,701 COP 5.3M

122.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,352 $5,352

$665 COP 2.1M

704.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.16

10.94

-43.69%

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

Last update for Bergen County, NJ: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,729 in Bergen County, NJ and $1,060 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen County, NJ pays 704% 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: $84.0 in Bergen County, NJ vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $464 vs $303 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

Bergen County, NJ vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bergen County, NJ and Medellin differ by about 148% in total monthly costs ($4,259 vs $1,716 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 704% higher in Bergen County, NJ, 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: $2,729 in Bergen County, NJ versus $1,060 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 $48.00 versus $84.0 in Bergen County, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $4,259 per month in Bergen County, NJ versus $1,716 in Medellin – a 148% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,716 in Medellin versus $4,259 in Bergen County, NJ, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Bergen County, NJ. 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.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 148% less than in Bergen County, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.