Cost of Living Comparison Between Bihac and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Bihac and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $999 in Bihac versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,440 in Bihac versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,880 in Bihac versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Bihac costs roughly 1% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bihac 25% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.88 BAM 11.57

$5.99 COP 21.4K

14.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.91 BAM 50.3

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-8.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.76 BAM 9.68

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-18.76%

Cappuccino

$1.16 BAM 1.94

$1.71 COP 6,115

-32.16%

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

$1.16 BAM 1.94

$1.10 COP 3,924

5.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 BAM 1.44

$0.78 COP 2,781

10.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.50 BAM 2.52

$1.68 COP 5,997

-10.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 BAM 2.92

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-43.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 BAM 2.24

$1.09 COP 3,906

22.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 BAM 1.87

$1.26 COP 4,508

-11.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.38 BAM 4.01

$1.38 COP 4,922

72.46%

Eggs

$2.87 BAM 4.83

$2.19 COP 7,827

31.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.16 BAM 17.06

$4.40 COP 15.7K

130.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.32 BAM 12.30

$5.63 COP 20.1K

30.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 BAM 19.44

$8.89 COP 31.8K

30.15%

Apples (1kg)

$1.74 BAM 2.92

$2.34 COP 8,349

-25.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 BAM 2.71

$1.06 COP 3,777

51.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 BAM 3.20

$1.50 COP 5,374

26.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 BAM 3.48

$1.38 COP 4,924

50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 BAM 1.93

$1.15 COP 4,111

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 BAM 2.42

$1.16 COP 4,155

24.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 BAM 1.54

$0.89 COP 3,182

3.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 BAM 1.45

$0.84 COP 2,997

2.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.50 BAM 5.88

$2.28 COP 8,145

53.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.36 BAM 14.04

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-21.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 BAM 2.10

$1.20 COP 4,284

4.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 BAM 3.38

$2.47 COP 8,824

-18.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.81 BAM 3.05

$0.86 COP 3,056

110.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.05 BAM 58.9

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-15.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 BAM 2.02

$1.47 COP 5,264

-18.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 BAM 1.30

$1.96 COP 7,009

-60.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.75 BAM 18.06

$7.74 COP 27.6K

38.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 BAM 2.51

$0.95 COP 3,409

56.84%

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

$23.7K BAM 39.9K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

30.96%

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

$26.2K BAM 44.0K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-1.06%

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

$210 BAM 352

$82.3 COP 293.7K

154.71%

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

$19.23 BAM 32.30

$9.50 COP 33.9K

102.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.97 BAM 36.92

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-9.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.75 BAM 49.97

$25.89 COP 92.4K

14.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.88 BAM 18.28

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-42.74%

Cinema Ticket

$5.55 BAM 9.32

$3.93 COP 14.0K

41.22%

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

$150 BAM 251

$309 COP 1.1M

-51.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,937 BAM 4,935

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-50.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.33 BAM 49.28

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-50.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.54 BAM 29.46

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-45.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.5 BAM 166

$103 COP 366.4K

-3.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 BAM 198

$108 COP 387.2K

8.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$222 BAM 372

$476 COP 1.7M

-53.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$206 BAM 347

$379 COP 1.4M

-45.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$308 BAM 518

$838 COP 3.0M

-63.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$280 BAM 471

$724 COP 2.6M

-61.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,492 BAM 2,507

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-46.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,326 BAM 2,228

$1,211 COP 4.3M

9.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$806 BAM 1,354

$512 COP 1.8M

57.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

13.43

-69.17%

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

Last update for Bihac: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $222 in Bihac and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bihac pays 57% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $30.00 in Bihac vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $231 vs $188, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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

Bihac vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bihac and Medellin differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($999 vs $1,013 including rent). Bihac is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bihac pays 57% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $222 in Bihac versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bihac – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $999 per month in Bihac versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $999 in Bihac versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bihac but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Bihac the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Bihac and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bihac gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.