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 $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $1,151 in San Bernardo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,752 in San Bernardo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $2,354 in San Bernardo, rent included.

Medellin is about 11% 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 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$10.86 CLP 9,623

-44.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$53.6 CLP 47.4K

-38.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$8.26 CLP 7,314

-10.17%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$3.13 CLP 2,776

-47.28%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$0.89 CLP 789

20.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$1.24 CLP 1,099

-38.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$3.32 CLP 2,939

-48.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$4.23 CLP 3,749

-24.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$1.11 CLP 983

-5.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$1.58 CLP 1,401

-17.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$2.09 CLP 1,851

-35.89%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$4.10 CLP 3,632

-46.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$10.32 CLP 9,139

-57.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$6.76 CLP 5,986

-15.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$11.05 CLP 9,790

-22.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$2.04 CLP 1,810

14.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$1.63 CLP 1,445

-31.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$2.05 CLP 1,812

-25.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$1.86 CLP 1,647

-26.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$1.90 CLP 1,681

-39.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$1.62 CLP 1,434

-27.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$1.30 CLP 1,149

-35.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$1.22 CLP 1,084

-29.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$3.38 CLP 2,995

-33.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$6.73 CLP 5,959

72.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$1.60 CLP 1,419

-25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$2.58 CLP 2,289

-3.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$0.58 CLP 518

36.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$0.50 CLP 444

194.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$1.47 CLP 1,303

30.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$11.45 CLP 10.1K

-32.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$1.38 CLP 1,222

-26.81%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$19.8K CLP 17.6M

-11.02%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$22.5K CLP 19.9M

17.69%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$133 CLP 117.8K

-39.02%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$13.51 CLP 12.0K

-30.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$22.12 CLP 19.6K

7.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$38.66 CLP 34.2K

-32.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$21.47 CLP 19.0K

-12.86%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$6.35 CLP 5,622

-35.59%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$431 CLP 381.6K

-27.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$8,522 CLP 7.5M

-29.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$55.7 CLP 49.3K

7.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$33.41 CLP 29.6K

-4.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$77.0 CLP 68.2K

31.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$83.5 CLP 74.0K

25.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$478 CLP 423.7K

1.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$373 CLP 330.3K

-2.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$892 CLP 790.0K

-7.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$585 CLP 518.2K

24.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$2,066 CLP 1.8M

44.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$1,528 CLP 1.4M

-13.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$1,370 CLP 1.2M

-59.80%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for San Bernardo: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $478 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 149% 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 $242 – 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 12%, 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 $1,542 per month in Medellin and $1,726 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 $1,028, than in San Bernardo at $1,151. 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.