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: $983 in Bihac versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,455 in Bihac versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,927 in Bihac versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Bihac costs roughly 5% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bihac 26% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.26 BAM 12.41

$6.16 COP 20.1K

17.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.94 BAM 51.2

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-8.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.57 BAM 9.52

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-24.11%

Cappuccino

$1.20 BAM 2.06

$1.72 COP 5,600

-30.23%

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

$1.15 BAM 1.96

$1.05 COP 3,420

9.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 BAM 1.52

$0.77 COP 2,515

15.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.50 BAM 2.56

$1.69 COP 5,488

-11.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 BAM 3.09

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-42.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 BAM 2.36

$1.05 COP 3,423

31.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 BAM 1.79

$1.30 COP 4,236

-19.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 BAM 3.94

$1.40 COP 4,544

64.29%

Eggs

$2.80 BAM 4.80

$2.16 COP 7,047

29.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 BAM 17.25

$4.39 COP 14.3K

129.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.41 BAM 12.67

$5.88 COP 19.1K

26.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.20 BAM 19.16

$8.64 COP 28.1K

29.63%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 BAM 3.11

$2.28 COP 7,426

-20.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 BAM 2.89

$1.11 COP 3,604

52.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 BAM 3.27

$1.53 COP 4,983

24.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 BAM 3.48

$1.35 COP 4,410

50.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 BAM 2.04

$1.13 COP 3,674

5.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 BAM 2.47

$1.13 COP 3,692

28.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 BAM 1.65

$0.85 COP 2,753

12.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 BAM 1.56

$0.91 COP 2,975

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.60 BAM 6.15

$2.34 COP 7,630

53.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.15 BAM 13.94

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-34.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 BAM 2.13

$1.20 COP 3,909

4.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 BAM 3.55

$2.49 COP 8,104

-16.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 BAM 3.01

$0.84 COP 2,728

109.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.05 BAM 59.9

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-13.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 BAM 2.07

$1.42 COP 4,623

-14.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 BAM 1.40

$1.92 COP 6,235

-57.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.75 BAM 18.39

$7.66 COP 24.9K

40.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 BAM 2.53

$0.99 COP 3,223

49.49%

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

$23.6K BAM 40.4K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

30.95%

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

$25.9K BAM 44.3K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-2.77%

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

$205 BAM 350

$80.8 COP 263.1K

153.06%

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

$18.94 BAM 32.40

$9.95 COP 32.4K

90.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.90 BAM 37.46

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-9.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.93 BAM 51.2

$25.08 COP 81.7K

19.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.82 BAM 18.50

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-43.50%

Cinema Ticket

$5.71 BAM 9.76

$3.98 COP 13.0K

43.47%

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

$146 BAM 250

$305 COP 993.5K

-52.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,926 BAM 5,005

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-51.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.42 BAM 50.3

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-49.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.60 BAM 30.11

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-45.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 BAM 170

$101 COP 327.9K

-1.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 BAM 201

$108 COP 350.8K

9.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$223 BAM 381

$477 COP 1.6M

-53.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 BAM 359

$376 COP 1.2M

-44.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$308 BAM 527

$845 COP 2.7M

-63.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$284 BAM 487

$730 COP 2.4M

-61.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,486 BAM 2,542

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-53.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,316 BAM 2,250

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-4.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 BAM 1,323

$617 COP 2.0M

25.37%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $223 in Bihac and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bihac pays 25% 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 $193, 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 5% in total monthly costs ($983 vs $1,031 including rent). Bihac is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 25% higher in Bihac, 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: $223 in Bihac versus $477 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 $983 per month in Bihac versus $1,031 in Medellin – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $983 in Bihac versus $1,031 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 5% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.