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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $3,409 in Bern.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $5,182 in Bern.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $6,955 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 23% below, Bern is 155% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$28.49 CHF 23.08

-78.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$108 CHF 87.4

-69.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$17.15 CHF 13.89

-57.20%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$5.75 CHF 4.65

-70.09%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$4.76 CHF 3.85

-77.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$4.78 CHF 3.87

-83.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$8.18 CHF 6.62

-79.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$6.21 CHF 5.03

-48.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.22 CHF 1.80

-52.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$3.33 CHF 2.69

-60.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$4.26 CHF 3.45

-67.14%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$7.09 CHF 5.74

-69.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$28.67 CHF 23.22

-84.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$35.86 CHF 29.04

-83.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$41.00 CHF 33.21

-78.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$3.38 CHF 2.73

-32.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.24 CHF 1.81

-50.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.76 CHF 2.23

-44.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$6.87 CHF 5.56

-80.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.17 CHF 1.76

-47.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.13 CHF 1.73

-46.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$2.43 CHF 1.97

-65.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.15 CHF 0.93

-20.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$11.52 CHF 9.33

-79.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$12.19 CHF 9.88

1.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.96 CHF 1.59

-38.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.28 CHF 1.85

9.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$3.74 CHF 3.03

-77.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$98.5 CHF 79.8

-58.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$8.04 CHF 6.51

-82.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$4.44 CHF 3.60

-56.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$91.5 CHF 74.1

-91.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$2.22 CHF 1.79

-55.41%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$41.1K CHF 33.3K

-56.13%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$58.3K CHF 47.2K

-54.32%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$367 CHF 297

-77.98%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$58.3 CHF 47.24

-82.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$58.1 CHF 47.04

-58.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$81.1 CHF 65.7

-69.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$46.39 CHF 37.58

-58.72%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$24.71 CHF 20.02

-83.89%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$3,315 CHF 2,685

-90.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$40.1K CHF 32.5K

-84.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$154 CHF 125

-62.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$69.1 CHF 56.0

-53.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$174 CHF 141

-42.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$189 CHF 153

-43.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$1,871 CHF 1,516

-74.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$1,284 CHF 1,040

-70.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$3,197 CHF 2,589

-73.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$2,412 CHF 1,954

-69.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$19.2K CHF 15.5K

-83.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$15.4K CHF 12.4K

-91.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$7,080 CHF 5,735

-91.29%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bern: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $1,871 in Bern. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bern pays 1048% 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 $108 in Bern for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $638 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 231% 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, salaries run 1048% lower in Bern. 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: $477 in Medellin versus $1,871 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 $108 in Bern. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $3,409 in Bern – a 231% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $3,409 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 $1,031 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 231% less than in Bern. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.