Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and San Bernardo Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and San Bernardo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,133 in San Bernardo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,747 in San Bernardo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,360 in San Bernardo, rent included.

Medellin is about 9% cheaper than San Bernardo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and San Bernardo are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, San Bernardo 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$10.65 CLP 9,469

-44.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$53.6 CLP 47.7K

-38.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$8.39 CLP 7,460

-14.18%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$3.29 CLP 2,926

-48.33%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.87 CLP 778

26.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$1.31 CLP 1,163

-45.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$3.32 CLP 2,953

-49.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$4.40 CLP 3,911

-29.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.16 CLP 1,030

-8.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.51 CLP 1,345

-17.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$2.08 CLP 1,852

-33.17%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$4.10 CLP 3,649

-44.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$10.53 CLP 9,367

-58.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.78 CLP 6,024

-13.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$11.02 CLP 9,801

-19.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.00 CLP 1,779

12.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.56 CLP 1,390

-30.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.11 CLP 1,873

-27.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.93 CLP 1,714

-29.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.86 CLP 1,657

-39.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.69 CLP 1,507

-33.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.35 CLP 1,199

-37.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.22 CLP 1,088

-25.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$3.36 CLP 2,984

-30.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$6.80 CLP 6,048

63.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.54 CLP 1,365

-22.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.60 CLP 2,309

-8.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.63 CLP 560

25.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.51 CLP 451

182.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.40 CLP 1,245

36.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$11.40 CLP 10.1K

-29.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.42 CLP 1,267

-33.80%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$19.3K CLP 17.2M

-7.20%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$22.3K CLP 19.8M

20.16%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$130 CLP 115.4K

-35.32%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$13.51 CLP 12.0K

-28.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$22.15 CLP 19.7K

9.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$38.06 CLP 33.8K

-32.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$21.01 CLP 18.7K

-9.38%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$6.29 CLP 5,593

-37.68%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$440 CLP 390.8K

-30.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$8,722 CLP 7.8M

-32.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$54.9 CLP 48.8K

5.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$32.33 CLP 28.8K

-1.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$77.2 CLP 68.6K

29.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$83.2 CLP 74.0K

28.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$472 CLP 419.9K

3.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$373 CLP 331.8K

-1.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$888 CLP 789.3K

-6.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$594 CLP 528.5K

20.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$2,050 CLP 1.8M

42.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,513 CLP 1.3M

-7.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$1,382 CLP 1.2M

-60.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.18

159.27%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for San Bernardo: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $472 in San Bernardo. 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 153% higher in San Bernardo, 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $54.0 in San Bernardo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $243 – 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

Medellin vs San Bernardo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – San Bernardo is pricier by about 10%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,700 in San Bernardo. 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $54.0 in San Bernardo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% more in San Bernardo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in San Bernardo at $1,133. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Bernardo 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, San Bernardo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.