Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bern Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bern

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $3,430 in Bern.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $5,248 in Bern.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $7,066 in Bern.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 70% less than in Bern, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 24% below, Bern is 156% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.3K

$27.70 CHF 21.86

-78.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 116.9K

$107 CHF 84.6

-69.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.2K

$17.47 CHF 13.79

-59.42%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,093

$5.86 CHF 4.63

-70.82%

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

$1.10 COP 3,910

$4.83 CHF 3.81

-77.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,771

$4.64 CHF 3.66

-83.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,976

$8.38 CHF 6.62

-79.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$6.26 CHF 4.94

-50.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,892

$2.22 CHF 1.75

-50.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,492

$3.27 CHF 2.58

-61.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,905

$4.15 CHF 3.27

-66.75%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,799

$7.10 CHF 5.60

-69.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$27.95 CHF 22.06

-84.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.0K

$35.50 CHF 28.01

-84.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.6K

$41.05 CHF 32.39

-78.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,319

$3.55 CHF 2.80

-34.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,764

$2.20 CHF 1.74

-51.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,355

$2.74 CHF 2.16

-45.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,906

$6.99 CHF 5.51

-80.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,097

$2.24 CHF 1.77

-48.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,141

$2.15 CHF 1.70

-46.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,170

$2.42 CHF 1.91

-63.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,986

$1.14 CHF 0.90

-26.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,116

$11.39 CHF 8.99

-79.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$12.80 CHF 10.10

-16.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,268

$1.96 CHF 1.55

-38.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,793

$2.35 CHF 1.86

5.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,045

$3.59 CHF 2.83

-76.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

$99.0 CHF 78.1

-58.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,245

$7.86 CHF 6.20

-81.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,984

$4.47 CHF 3.52

-56.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.5K

$90.9 CHF 71.7

-91.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,397

$2.14 CHF 1.69

-55.61%

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

$18.1K COP 64.5M

$40.6K CHF 32.0K

-55.32%

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

$26.5K COP 94.2M

$56.6K CHF 44.7K

-53.22%

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

$82.3 COP 292.7K

$367 CHF 290

-77.58%

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

$9.50 COP 33.8K

$59.9 CHF 47.27

-84.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.2K

$59.0 CHF 46.55

-58.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.1K

$82.5 CHF 65.1

-68.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

$47.41 CHF 37.42

-59.92%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$24.55 CHF 19.38

-83.99%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$3,417 CHF 2,697

-90.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.2M

$39.8K CHF 31.4K

-85.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 208.7K

$149 CHF 118

-60.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.1K

$67.9 CHF 53.6

-52.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.1K

$177 CHF 140

-42.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 385.8K

$186 CHF 147

-41.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$1,853 CHF 1,463

-74.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$1,264 CHF 997

-70.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$3,301 CHF 2,606

-74.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$2,367 CHF 1,868

-69.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$16.3K CHF 12.8K

-82.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$12.8K CHF 10.1K

-90.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$7,193 CHF 5,676

-92.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

2.52

432.94%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bern: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $1,853 in Bern. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bern pays 1305% 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $107 in Bern for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $636 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

Medellin vs Bern: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 239% lower than in Bern. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Bern earns 1305% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Medellin versus $1,853 in Bern. 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 $107 in Bern. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $3,430 in Bern – a 239% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $3,430 in Bern, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Bern. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,013 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Bern 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 239% less than in Bern. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.