Cost of Living Comparison Between Istočno Sarajevo and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Istočno Sarajevo and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $968 in Istočno Sarajevo versus $1,641 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,431 in Istočno Sarajevo versus $2,447 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,894 in Istočno Sarajevo versus $3,253 in Medellin.

Living in Istočno Sarajevo costs roughly 41% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Istočno Sarajevo is 30% below, Medellin is 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.74 BAM 14.67

$8.04 COP 24.9K

8.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.25 BAM 64.2

$48.29 COP 149.7K

-20.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.92 BAM 11.62

$9.42 COP 29.2K

-26.54%

Cappuccino

$1.80 BAM 3.02

$2.94 COP 9,105

-38.78%

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

$2.13 BAM 3.57

$1.86 COP 5,776

14.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 BAM 2.45

$1.46 COP 4,511

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 BAM 3.87

$3.21 COP 9,953

-28.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 BAM 4.01

$5.71 COP 17.7K

-58.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 BAM 2.52

$1.44 COP 4,460

4.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 BAM 2.37

$2.40 COP 7,442

-41.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 BAM 3.82

$1.70 COP 5,265

33.53%

Eggs

$3.24 BAM 5.44

$2.89 COP 8,960

12.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.18 BAM 17.10

$10.06 COP 31.2K

1.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.62 BAM 12.79

$9.97 COP 30.9K

-23.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 BAM 22.62

$14.20 COP 44.0K

-5.14%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 BAM 2.53

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-62.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 BAM 2.95

$1.58 COP 4,913

11.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 BAM 2.92

$2.15 COP 6,671

-19.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 BAM 2.93

$2.30 COP 7,129

-24.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 BAM 1.76

$2.00 COP 6,213

-47.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 BAM 2.01

$1.51 COP 4,679

-20.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 BAM 1.59

$1.20 COP 3,727

-21.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 BAM 1.63

$1.28 COP 3,974

-24.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 BAM 6.85

$3.84 COP 11.9K

6.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.17 BAM 13.72

$14.01 COP 43.4K

-41.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 BAM 1.62

$1.71 COP 5,294

-43.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 BAM 2.60

$2.74 COP 8,500

-43.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.31 BAM 2.20

$1.25 COP 3,861

4.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 241.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 BAM 2.54

$1.31 COP 4,045

15.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 BAM 1.85

$2.17 COP 6,728

-49.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.53 BAM 17.68

$8.29 COP 25.7K

27.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 BAM 2.66

$1.36 COP 4,202

16.91%

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

$30.6K BAM 51.4K

$27.5K COP 85.2M

11.39%

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

$22.4K BAM 37.6K

$36.5K COP 113.2M

-38.70%

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

$125 BAM 209

$169 COP 523.0K

-26.13%

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

$19.02 BAM 31.94

$13.57 COP 42.1K

40.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.31 BAM 47.55

$28.32 COP 87.8K

-0.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.64 BAM 56.5

$45.71 COP 141.7K

-26.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.33 BAM 24.07

$17.22 COP 53.4K

-16.78%

Cinema Ticket

$5.49 BAM 9.22

$6.65 COP 20.6K

-17.44%

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

$155 BAM 260

$803 COP 2.5M

-80.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,013 BAM 6,740

$9,190 COP 28.5M

-56.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.1 BAM 151

$87.4 COP 270.8K

3.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.37 BAM 59.4

$59.4 COP 184.0K

-40.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.1 BAM 155

$139 COP 430.5K

-33.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 BAM 176

$102 COP 316.3K

2.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$218 BAM 367

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-79.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$195 BAM 328

$653 COP 2.0M

-70.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$271 BAM 455

$1,925 COP 6.0M

-85.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$221 BAM 371

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-78.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,798 BAM 3,020

$4,123 COP 12.8M

-56.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,408 BAM 2,364

$1,697 COP 5.3M

-17.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$735 BAM 1,235

$655 COP 2.0M

12.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

10.94

-62.71%

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

Last update for Istočno Sarajevo: September 5, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $218 in Istočno Sarajevo and $1,071 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Istočno Sarajevo pays 12% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $38.00 in Istočno Sarajevo vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $239 vs $300 per month, with Istočno Sarajevo cheaper across the board.

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

Istočno Sarajevo vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Istočno Sarajevo and Medellin differ by about 70% in total monthly costs ($968 vs $1,641 including rent). Istočno Sarajevo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 12% higher in Istočno Sarajevo, 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: $218 in Istočno Sarajevo versus $1,071 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $155 in Istočno Sarajevo versus $803 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Istočno Sarajevo – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $968 in Istočno Sarajevo versus $1,641 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Istočno Sarajevo but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Istočno Sarajevo 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, Istočno Sarajevo 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 Istočno Sarajevo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.