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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

San Bernardo costs about 10% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.65 CLP 9,469

$5.92 COP 21.4K

79.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 CLP 47.7K

$32.75 COP 118.2K

63.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.39 CLP 7,460

$7.20 COP 26.0K

16.53%

Cappuccino

$3.29 CLP 2,926

$1.70 COP 6,140

93.53%

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

$0.87 CLP 778

$1.10 COP 3,966

-20.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 CLP 1,163

$0.72 COP 2,605

81.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.32 CLP 2,953

$1.67 COP 6,022

98.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.40 CLP 3,911

$3.10 COP 11.2K

41.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 CLP 1,030

$1.06 COP 3,809

9.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 CLP 1,345

$1.25 COP 4,497

20.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 CLP 1,852

$1.39 COP 5,022

49.64%

Eggs

$4.10 CLP 3,649

$2.26 COP 8,168

81.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.53 CLP 9,367

$4.33 COP 15.6K

143.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.78 CLP 6,024

$5.84 COP 21.1K

16.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.02 CLP 9,801

$8.83 COP 31.9K

24.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 CLP 1,779

$2.24 COP 8,099

-10.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 CLP 1,390

$1.08 COP 3,882

44.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 CLP 1,873

$1.53 COP 5,522

37.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 CLP 1,714

$1.37 COP 4,950

40.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 CLP 1,657

$1.13 COP 4,078

64.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.69 CLP 1,507

$1.12 COP 4,036

50.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 CLP 1,199

$0.85 COP 3,057

58.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 CLP 1,088

$0.91 COP 3,281

34.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.36 CLP 2,984

$2.33 COP 8,414

44.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.80 CLP 6,048

$11.13 COP 40.2K

-38.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 CLP 1,365

$1.19 COP 4,309

29.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 CLP 2,309

$2.37 COP 8,553

9.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 CLP 560

$0.79 COP 2,838

-20.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 CLP 451

$1.44 COP 5,184

-64.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 CLP 1,245

$1.91 COP 6,901

-26.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.40 CLP 10.1K

$8.02 COP 28.9K

42.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 CLP 1,267

$0.94 COP 3,385

51.06%

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

$19.3K CLP 17.2M

$17.9K COP 64.7M

7.76%

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

$22.3K CLP 19.8M

$26.8K COP 96.7M

-16.78%

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

$130 CLP 115.4K

$84.0 COP 303.1K

54.61%

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

$13.51 CLP 12.0K

$9.60 COP 34.7K

40.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.15 CLP 19.7K

$24.16 COP 87.2K

-8.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.06 CLP 33.8K

$25.88 COP 93.4K

47.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.01 CLP 18.7K

$19.04 COP 68.7K

10.35%

Cinema Ticket

$6.29 CLP 5,593

$3.92 COP 14.1K

60.46%

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

$440 CLP 390.8K

$306 COP 1.1M

43.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,722 CLP 7.8M

$5,919 COP 21.4M

47.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.9 CLP 48.8K

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-5.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.33 CLP 28.8K

$31.82 COP 114.9K

1.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 CLP 68.6K

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-22.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.2 CLP 74.0K

$107 COP 386.8K

-22.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$472 CLP 419.9K

$487 COP 1.8M

-2.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 CLP 331.8K

$368 COP 1.3M

1.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$888 CLP 789.3K

$826 COP 3.0M

7.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 CLP 528.5K

$716 COP 2.6M

-17.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,050 CLP 1.8M

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-29.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,513 CLP 1.3M

$1,407 COP 5.1M

7.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,382 CLP 1.2M

$546 COP 2.0M

153.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.18

13.43

-61.43%

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

Last update for San Bernardo: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

San Bernardo vs Medellin: 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 $1,700 per month in San Bernardo and $1,550 in Medellin. 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 $54.0 in San Bernardo and $33.00 in Medellin. 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.