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

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

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

San Bernardo costs about 15% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.84 CLP 10.1K

$5.91 COP 18.6K

83.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.4 CLP 49.7K

$32.96 COP 103.8K

61.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.40 CLP 7,813

$7.43 COP 23.4K

13.06%

Cappuccino

$3.14 CLP 2,923

$1.65 COP 5,207

90.30%

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

$0.94 CLP 870

$1.10 COP 3,468

-14.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 CLP 1,200

$0.78 COP 2,458

65.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 CLP 2,972

$1.72 COP 5,412

85.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.27 CLP 3,975

$3.18 COP 10.0K

34.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 CLP 1,036

$1.10 COP 3,474

0.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 CLP 1,418

$1.26 COP 3,962

20.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 CLP 1,969

$1.38 COP 4,349

53.62%

Eggs

$4.12 CLP 3,834

$2.18 COP 6,858

88.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.51 CLP 9,783

$4.49 COP 14.1K

134.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.72 CLP 6,248

$5.79 COP 18.2K

16.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.83 CLP 10.1K

$8.97 COP 28.2K

20.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 CLP 1,930

$2.32 COP 7,308

-10.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 CLP 1,513

$1.06 COP 3,352

53.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 CLP 1,962

$1.52 COP 4,774

38.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 CLP 1,791

$1.36 COP 4,270

41.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 CLP 1,796

$1.13 COP 3,552

70.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.61 CLP 1,498

$1.17 COP 3,689

37.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 CLP 1,199

$0.90 COP 2,838

43.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 CLP 1,137

$0.90 COP 2,823

35.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.48 CLP 3,242

$2.23 COP 7,034

56.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.24 CLP 5,807

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-48.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 CLP 1,431

$1.19 COP 3,743

29.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 CLP 2,301

$2.48 COP 7,815

-0.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 CLP 539

$0.85 COP 2,687

-31.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 CLP 471

$1.42 COP 4,459

-64.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CLP 1,354

$1.95 COP 6,141

-25.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.69 CLP 10.9K

$7.89 COP 24.8K

48.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 CLP 1,320

$0.99 COP 3,118

43.43%

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

$19.4K CLP 18.0M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

10.12%

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

$23.1K CLP 21.5M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-13.96%

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

$130 CLP 121.0K

$83.0 COP 261.4K

56.61%

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

$13.61 CLP 12.7K

$9.70 COP 30.5K

40.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.23 CLP 20.7K

$23.52 COP 74.1K

-5.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.49 CLP 35.8K

$25.26 COP 79.5K

52.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.84 CLP 19.4K

$19.10 COP 60.1K

9.11%

Cinema Ticket

$6.52 CLP 6,066

$3.95 COP 12.4K

65.06%

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

$444 CLP 413.0K

$316 COP 994.2K

40.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,593 CLP 8.0M

$5,975 COP 18.8M

43.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 CLP 50.7K

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-9.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 CLP 30.1K

$31.82 COP 100.2K

1.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.0 CLP 72.5K

$102 COP 320.1K

-23.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 CLP 78.0K

$107 COP 338.3K

-22.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 CLP 451.1K

$475 COP 1.5M

2.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 CLP 353.7K

$374 COP 1.2M

1.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$889 CLP 827.4K

$849 COP 2.7M

4.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$592 CLP 551.0K

$719 COP 2.3M

-17.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,945 CLP 1.8M

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-40.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,395 CLP 1.3M

$1,441 COP 4.5M

-3.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,390 CLP 1.3M

$624 COP 2.0M

122.54%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in San Bernardo versus $475 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 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 $53.0 in San Bernardo versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $193 – 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 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 $1,733 per month in San Bernardo and $1,504 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 $53.0 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 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.