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 $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,156 in San Bernardo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,786 in San Bernardo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,416 in San Bernardo, rent included.

Medellin is about 13% cheaper than San Bernardo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and San Bernardo are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, San Bernardo 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$10.84 CLP 10.1K

-45.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$53.4 CLP 49.7K

-38.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$8.40 CLP 7,813

-11.55%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$3.14 CLP 2,923

-47.45%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.94 CLP 870

17.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$1.29 CLP 1,200

-39.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$3.19 CLP 2,972

-46.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$4.27 CLP 3,975

-25.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.11 CLP 1,036

-0.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.52 CLP 1,418

-17.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$2.12 CLP 1,969

-34.91%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$4.12 CLP 3,834

-47.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$10.51 CLP 9,783

-57.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$6.72 CLP 6,248

-13.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$10.83 CLP 10.1K

-17.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.07 CLP 1,930

12.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.63 CLP 1,513

-34.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$2.11 CLP 1,962

-27.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.93 CLP 1,791

-29.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.93 CLP 1,796

-41.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.61 CLP 1,498

-27.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.29 CLP 1,199

-30.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.22 CLP 1,137

-26.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$3.48 CLP 3,242

-35.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$6.24 CLP 5,807

94.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.54 CLP 1,431

-22.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.47 CLP 2,301

0.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.58 CLP 539

46.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.51 CLP 471

178.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.46 CLP 1,354

33.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$11.69 CLP 10.9K

-32.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.42 CLP 1,320

-30.28%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$19.4K CLP 18.0M

-9.19%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$23.1K CLP 21.5M

16.22%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$130 CLP 121.0K

-36.15%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$13.61 CLP 12.7K

-28.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$22.23 CLP 20.7K

5.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$38.49 CLP 35.8K

-34.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$20.84 CLP 19.4K

-8.35%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$6.52 CLP 6,066

-39.42%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$444 CLP 413.0K

-28.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$8,593 CLP 8.0M

-30.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$54.4 CLP 50.7K

10.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$32.35 CLP 30.1K

-1.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$78.0 CLP 72.5K

30.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$83.8 CLP 78.0K

28.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$485 CLP 451.1K

-2.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$380 CLP 353.7K

-1.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$889 CLP 827.4K

-4.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$592 CLP 551.0K

21.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,945 CLP 1.8M

67.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,395 CLP 1.3M

3.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$1,390 CLP 1.3M

-55.06%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for San Bernardo: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $485 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 123% 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 $53.0 in San Bernardo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $241 – 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 15%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,733 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 $53.0 in San Bernardo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 25% 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 $1,003, than in San Bernardo at $1,156. 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.