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

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

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

San Bernardo costs about 12% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both San Bernardo and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – San Bernardo 14% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.86 CLP 9,623

$6.00 COP 20.6K

81.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 CLP 47.4K

$32.84 COP 112.5K

63.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.26 CLP 7,314

$7.42 COP 25.4K

11.32%

Cappuccino

$3.13 CLP 2,776

$1.65 COP 5,659

89.70%

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

$0.89 CLP 789

$1.07 COP 3,663

-16.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 CLP 1,099

$0.76 COP 2,607

63.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.32 CLP 2,939

$1.72 COP 5,908

93.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 CLP 3,749

$3.20 COP 11.0K

32.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 CLP 983

$1.05 COP 3,597

5.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 CLP 1,401

$1.31 COP 4,479

20.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 CLP 1,851

$1.34 COP 4,591

55.97%

Eggs

$4.10 CLP 3,632

$2.19 COP 7,521

87.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.32 CLP 9,139

$4.41 COP 15.1K

134.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 CLP 5,986

$5.69 COP 19.5K

18.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.05 CLP 9,790

$8.52 COP 29.2K

29.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 CLP 1,810

$2.34 COP 8,023

-12.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 CLP 1,445

$1.11 COP 3,804

46.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 CLP 1,812

$1.52 COP 5,210

34.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 CLP 1,647

$1.37 COP 4,680

35.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 CLP 1,681

$1.15 COP 3,950

65.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 CLP 1,434

$1.18 COP 4,043

37.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 CLP 1,149

$0.84 COP 2,885

54.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 CLP 1,084

$0.86 COP 2,931

41.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 CLP 2,995

$2.26 COP 7,753

49.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.73 CLP 5,959

$11.60 COP 39.8K

-41.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 CLP 1,419

$1.20 COP 4,109

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 CLP 2,289

$2.48 COP 8,484

4.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 CLP 518

$0.79 COP 2,721

-26.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.50 CLP 444

$1.47 COP 5,023

-65.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 CLP 1,303

$1.92 COP 6,568

-23.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.45 CLP 10.1K

$7.77 COP 26.6K

47.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 CLP 1,222

$1.01 COP 3,464

36.63%

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

$19.8K CLP 17.6M

$17.7K COP 60.5M

12.38%

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

$22.5K CLP 19.9M

$26.5K COP 90.7M

-15.03%

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

$133 CLP 117.8K

$81.1 COP 277.9K

63.98%

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

$13.51 CLP 12.0K

$9.43 COP 32.3K

43.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.12 CLP 19.6K

$23.86 COP 81.8K

-7.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.66 CLP 34.2K

$25.99 COP 89.1K

48.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.47 CLP 19.0K

$18.71 COP 64.1K

14.75%

Cinema Ticket

$6.35 CLP 5,622

$4.09 COP 14.0K

55.26%

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

$431 CLP 381.6K

$315 COP 1.1M

36.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,522 CLP 7.5M

$6,022 COP 20.6M

41.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 CLP 49.3K

$59.7 COP 204.6K

-6.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.41 CLP 29.6K

$31.97 COP 109.6K

4.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 CLP 68.2K

$101 COP 346.9K

-23.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.5 CLP 74.0K

$105 COP 360.3K

-20.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$478 CLP 423.7K

$485 COP 1.7M

-1.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 CLP 330.3K

$365 COP 1.3M

2.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$892 CLP 790.0K

$827 COP 2.8M

7.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 CLP 518.2K

$730 COP 2.5M

-19.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,066 CLP 1.8M

$2,992 COP 10.3M

-30.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,528 CLP 1.4M

$1,314 COP 4.5M

16.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,370 CLP 1.2M

$551 COP 1.9M

148.73%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $478 in San Bernardo versus $485 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 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 $54.0 in San Bernardo versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 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 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 $1,726 per month in San Bernardo and $1,542 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 $1,028, 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.