Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bijeljina and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Bijeljina: $910 a month against $1,614 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $8,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Bijeljina
🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina
$910
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,614
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bijeljina and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bijeljina and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $910 per month in Bijeljina vs $1,614 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Bijeljina $910
  • Medellin $1,614

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Bijeljina vs $2,402 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Bijeljina $1,411
  • Medellin $2,402

A family of three spends $1,911 per month in Bijeljina vs $3,190 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Bijeljina $1,911
  • Medellin $3,190

Bijeljina is about 44% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Bijeljina sits 33% below the global median, while Medellin is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bijeljina
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.33 BAM 14.49
$7.93 COP 25.2K
5.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$33.75 BAM 58.7
$46.13 COP 146.3K
-26.84%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.70 BAM 8.17
$9.50 COP 30.1K
-50.53%
Cappuccino
$1.46 BAM 2.55
$3.11 COP 9,866
-53.05%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 BAM 3.03
$1.83 COP 5,800
-4.92%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.05 BAM 1.83
$1.38 COP 4,360
-23.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.74 BAM 3.03
$3.05 COP 9,672
-42.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.32 BAM 4.03
$5.50 COP 17.4K
-57.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bijeljina
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.49 BAM 2.60
$1.45 COP 4,600
2.76%
White Bread (500g)
$1.16 BAM 2.02
$2.36 COP 7,496
-50.85%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.64 BAM 2.85
$1.68 COP 5,328
-2.38%
Eggs
$3.14 BAM 5.47
$2.86 COP 9,077
9.79%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.66 BAM 13.32
$10.19 COP 32.3K
-24.83%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.99 BAM 13.89
$9.53 COP 30.2K
-16.16%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.56 BAM 20.11
$14.04 COP 44.5K
-17.66%
Apples (1kg)
$1.61 BAM 2.80
$4.07 COP 12.9K
-60.44%
Banana (1kg)
$1.84 BAM 3.21
$1.50 COP 4,742
22.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.77 BAM 3.07
$2.17 COP 6,891
-18.43%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.70 BAM 4.69
$2.31 COP 7,310
16.88%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 BAM 2.66
$1.93 COP 6,113
-20.73%
Onion (1kg)
$1.41 BAM 2.45
$1.64 COP 5,196
-14.02%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.14 BAM 1.98
$1.13 COP 3,571
0.88%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.61 BAM 1.07
$1.25 COP 3,954
-51.20%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.85 BAM 6.69
$3.99 COP 12.6K
-3.51%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.45 BAM 14.70
$13.35 COP 42.3K
-36.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.82 BAM 1.43
$1.70 COP 5,384
-51.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46 BAM 2.54
$2.37 COP 7,525
-38.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Bijeljina
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.26 BAM 3.93
$1.21 COP 3,827
86.78%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$17.43 BAM 30.31
$76.5 COP 242.5K
-77.21%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.45 BAM 2.53
$1.32 COP 4,179
9.85%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.54 BAM 0.95
$2.14 COP 6,774
-74.77%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.45 BAM 18.17
$8.47 COP 26.8K
23.38%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.48 BAM 2.58
$1.30 COP 4,114
13.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.1K BAM 47.2K
$28.0K COP 88.7M
-3.08%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.5K BAM 35.6K
$35.4K COP 112.3M
-42.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bijeljina
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$139 BAM 242
$172 COP 545.6K
-19.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.30 BAM 31.82
$13.37 COP 42.4K
36.87%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.35 BAM 40.60
$28.73 COP 91.1K
-18.73%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bijeljina
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$29.77 BAM 51.8
$45.24 COP 143.5K
-34.20%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.45 BAM 14.70
$17.04 COP 54.0K
-50.41%
Cinema Ticket
$4.80 BAM 8.35
$6.28 COP 19.9K
-23.57%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bijeljina
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$201 BAM 349
$770 COP 2.4M
-73.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,009 BAM 6,972
$9,011 COP 28.6M
-55.51%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bijeljina
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.0 BAM 99.1
$86.4 COP 274.0K
-34.08%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.07 BAM 45.33
$57.1 COP 181.1K
-54.37%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$127 BAM 221
$137 COP 432.9K
-7.02%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$118 BAM 206
$97.9 COP 310.4K
20.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bijeljina
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$250 BAM 435
$1,055 COP 3.3M
-76.27%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$163 BAM 283
$616 COP 2.0M
-73.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$349 BAM 607
$1,892 COP 6.0M
-81.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$281 BAM 488
$1,023 COP 3.2M
-72.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,803 BAM 3,135
$4,059 COP 12.9M
-55.58%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,339 BAM 2,329
$1,678 COP 5.3M
-20.19%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bijeljina
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$750 BAM 1,304
$652 COP 2.1M
14.95%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6
10.94
-45.16%

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

Last update for Bijeljina: October 10, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Bijeljina
$226
Medellin
$295 30.3% $68
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bijeljina
$181
Medellin
$214 18.5% $33
Accommodation & Living
Bijeljina
$163
Medellin
$616 278% $453
Clothing & Footwear
Bijeljina
$148
Medellin
$170 15.2% $22
Eating Out
Bijeljina
$123
Medellin
$168 37.1% $46
Sport & Entertainment
Bijeljina
$39
Medellin
$58 46.8% $18
Getting Around
Bijeljina
$31
Medellin
$93 205% $63

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $250 in Bijeljina versus $1,055 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 15% higher in Bijeljina, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Bijeljina versus $46.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $226 vs $295 – making Bijeljina the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇧🇦 Bijeljina
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
02:20 2:20 AM
19:20 7:20 PM
7 h behind Bijeljina
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
42,278
2,486,723
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to BAM – Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark Converter

Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BAM (1 BAM = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.95 BAM (1 BAM = 0.512 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bijeljina Medellin 9,900 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Bijeljina
  • Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Bijeljina vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Bijeljina and in Medellin compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $910 in Bijeljina, $1,614 in Medellin – roughly 77% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Bijeljina compared to Medellin?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,366 per month in Bijeljina and $2,421 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Bijeljina and Medellin?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Bijeljina, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Bijeljina or Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $910 in Bijeljina and $1,614 in Medellin. That's a gap of about 77%.
How do commuting costs compare in Bijeljina and in Medellin?
Public transport costs about 339% less in Bijeljina. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Bijeljina, where all-in costs run around $910, than in Medellin at $1,614. In Bijeljina it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Bijeljina and Medellin?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $910 in Bijeljina to $1,614 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Bijeljina or Medellin safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
How do I decide between Bijeljina and Medellin?
If budget matters most, go with Bijeljina. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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