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: $962 in Istočno Sarajevo versus $1,013 in Medellin.

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

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,918 in Istočno Sarajevo versus $2,192 in Medellin.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Istočno Sarajevo 28% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.15 BAM 12.05

$5.99 COP 21.4K

19.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.34 BAM 59.5

$32.86 COP 117.2K

7.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.46 BAM 9.20

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-22.99%

Cappuccino

$1.79 BAM 3.01

$1.71 COP 6,105

4.68%

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

$2.00 BAM 3.37

$1.10 COP 3,918

81.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 BAM 2.36

$0.78 COP 2,776

79.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 BAM 4.04

$1.68 COP 5,987

42.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 BAM 3.57

$3.07 COP 10.9K

-30.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 BAM 2.38

$1.09 COP 3,899

29.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 BAM 2.26

$1.26 COP 4,500

6.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 BAM 3.52

$1.38 COP 4,914

51.45%

Eggs

$3.29 BAM 5.54

$2.19 COP 7,813

50.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.15 BAM 17.11

$4.40 COP 15.7K

130.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.28 BAM 13.95

$5.63 COP 20.1K

47.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 BAM 21.99

$8.89 COP 31.7K

46.79%

Apples (1kg)

$1.54 BAM 2.59

$2.34 COP 8,334

-34.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 BAM 2.75

$1.06 COP 3,771

53.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 BAM 2.89

$1.50 COP 5,365

14.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 BAM 2.93

$1.38 COP 4,915

26.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 BAM 1.82

$1.15 COP 4,104

-6.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 BAM 2.02

$1.16 COP 4,148

3.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 BAM 1.67

$0.89 COP 3,176

11.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 BAM 1.57

$0.84 COP 2,992

10.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.67 BAM 6.19

$2.28 COP 8,131

60.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.20 BAM 13.82

$10.64 COP 37.9K

-22.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 BAM 1.82

$1.20 COP 4,276

-10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 BAM 2.20

$2.47 COP 8,809

-47.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.83 BAM 3.08

$0.86 COP 3,051

112.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.83 BAM 60.4

$41.40 COP 147.6K

-13.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 BAM 2.40

$1.47 COP 5,255

-2.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 BAM 1.31

$1.96 COP 6,997

-60.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.61 BAM 17.87

$7.74 COP 27.6K

37.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 BAM 2.53

$0.95 COP 3,403

57.89%

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

$23.1K BAM 39.0K

$18.1K COP 64.6M

27.55%

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

$26.0K BAM 43.8K

$26.5K COP 94.4M

-1.84%

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

$121 BAM 204

$82.3 COP 293.2K

46.91%

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

$18.94 BAM 31.91

$9.50 COP 33.9K

99.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.07 BAM 48.97

$24.23 COP 86.4K

19.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.97 BAM 50.5

$25.89 COP 92.3K

15.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.02 BAM 18.57

$19.00 COP 67.7K

-42.00%

Cinema Ticket

$5.62 BAM 9.47

$3.93 COP 14.0K

43.00%

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

$154 BAM 259

$309 COP 1.1M

-50.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,306 BAM 5,570

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-44.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.7 BAM 153

$58.7 COP 209.1K

54.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.26 BAM 59.4

$32.35 COP 115.3K

9.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.2 BAM 165

$103 COP 365.7K

-4.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 BAM 171

$108 COP 386.5K

-6.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$219 BAM 369

$476 COP 1.7M

-54.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 BAM 327

$379 COP 1.4M

-48.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$269 BAM 454

$838 COP 3.0M

-67.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$217 BAM 365

$724 COP 2.6M

-70.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,826 BAM 3,076

$2,791 COP 9.9M

-34.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,425 BAM 2,401

$1,211 COP 4.3M

17.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$725 BAM 1,221

$512 COP 1.8M

41.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.8

13.43

-71.71%

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

Last update for Istočno Sarajevo: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $219 in Istočno Sarajevo and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Istočno Sarajevo pays 42% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Istočno Sarajevo vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $238 vs $188 per month, with Medellin 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 5% in total monthly costs ($962 vs $1,013 including rent). Istočno Sarajevo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Istočno Sarajevo pays 42% 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: $219 in Istočno Sarajevo versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 26% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Istočno Sarajevo – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $962 in Istočno Sarajevo versus $1,013 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 5% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.