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 $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $925 in San Bernardo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,448 in San Bernardo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,972 in San Bernardo, rent included.

Medellin costs about 82% more than San Bernardo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while San Bernardo is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$8.01 CLP 7,647

0.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$26.45 CLP 25.2K

80.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$6.98 CLP 6,657

41.69%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$2.65 CLP 2,533

18.11%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.99 CLP 949

92.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$1.07 CLP 1,020

41.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$4.20 CLP 4,010

-25.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$4.72 CLP 4,504

21.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.14 CLP 1,086

26.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.28 CLP 1,219

94.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.63 CLP 1,560

8.59%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$4.08 CLP 3,895

-27.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$11.42 CLP 10.9K

-11.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$4.51 CLP 4,308

124.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$10.98 CLP 10.5K

30.24%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.90 CLP 1,809

117.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.59 CLP 1,516

1.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.47 CLP 1,407

53.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.77 CLP 1,688

27.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.88 CLP 840

131.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.80 CLP 764

92.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.25 CLP 1,188

-6.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$1.13 CLP 1,081

15.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$3.32 CLP 3,164

17.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$6.09 CLP 5,810

130.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.61 CLP 1,540

8.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.52 CLP 2,405

13.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.81 CLP 776

50.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$0.41 CLP 389

219.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.93 CLP 886

135.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$11.80 CLP 11.3K

-26.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.36 CLP 1,301

0.74%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$18.4K CLP 17.5M

51.57%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$21.7K CLP 20.7M

65.03%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$125 CLP 118.9K

42.28%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$12.48 CLP 11.9K

11.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$16.51 CLP 15.8K

80.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$20.41 CLP 19.5K

119.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$7.67 CLP 7,320

-13.30%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$447 CLP 426.9K

81.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$11.1K CLP 10.6M

-17.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$37.13 CLP 35.4K

141.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$27.27 CLP 26.0K

116.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$68.2 CLP 65.1K

102.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$82.1 CLP 78.4K

24.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$279 CLP 265.8K

281.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$256 CLP 244.0K

159.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$716 CLP 683.3K

163.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$552 CLP 526.7K

86.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$1,925 CLP 1.8M

117.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$1,417 CLP 1.4M

18.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,347 CLP 1.3M

-49.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

5.39

102.97%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for San Bernardo: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $279 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 99% higher in San Bernardo, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $26.00 in San Bernardo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $219 – making San Bernardo 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 – Medellin is pricier by about 82%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,387 in San Bernardo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Bernardo, 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $26.00 in San Bernardo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 39% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in San Bernardo, where all-in costs run around $925, than in Medellin at $1,681. In San Bernardo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San Bernardo – 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 San Bernardo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.