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: $943 in Istočno Sarajevo versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,428 in Istočno Sarajevo versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,913 in Istočno Sarajevo versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Istočno Sarajevo costs roughly 9% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Istočno Sarajevo 29% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.05 BAM 12.07

$6.16 COP 20.1K

14.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.79 BAM 59.6

$32.60 COP 106.1K

6.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.50 BAM 9.42

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-25.07%

Cappuccino

$1.81 BAM 3.10

$1.72 COP 5,599

5.23%

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

$2.07 BAM 3.55

$1.05 COP 3,420

97.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 BAM 2.42

$0.77 COP 2,515

83.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 BAM 3.97

$1.69 COP 5,487

37.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 BAM 3.61

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-33.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 BAM 2.41

$1.05 COP 3,423

34.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 BAM 2.31

$1.30 COP 4,236

3.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 BAM 3.69

$1.40 COP 4,544

54.29%

Eggs

$3.17 BAM 5.43

$2.16 COP 7,046

46.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.16 BAM 17.41

$4.39 COP 14.3K

131.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.31 BAM 14.24

$5.88 COP 19.1K

41.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.11 BAM 22.45

$8.64 COP 28.1K

51.74%

Apples (1kg)

$1.48 BAM 2.54

$2.28 COP 7,425

-35.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 BAM 2.78

$1.11 COP 3,603

46.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 BAM 3.07

$1.53 COP 4,982

16.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 BAM 2.96

$1.35 COP 4,410

28.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 BAM 1.86

$1.13 COP 3,674

-3.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 BAM 1.98

$1.13 COP 3,692

2.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 BAM 1.59

$0.85 COP 2,753

9.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 BAM 1.71

$0.91 COP 2,975

9.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.75 BAM 6.42

$2.34 COP 7,629

60.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.94 BAM 13.60

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-35.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 BAM 1.86

$1.20 COP 3,909

-10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 BAM 2.27

$2.49 COP 8,104

-46.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.84 BAM 3.15

$0.84 COP 2,727

119.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.82 BAM 61.4

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-11.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 BAM 2.56

$1.42 COP 4,623

4.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 BAM 1.31

$1.92 COP 6,235

-60.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.56 BAM 18.09

$7.66 COP 24.9K

37.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 BAM 2.70

$0.99 COP 3,223

58.59%

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

$23.6K BAM 40.5K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

31.03%

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

$25.5K BAM 43.7K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-4.17%

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

$123 BAM 210

$80.8 COP 263.1K

51.60%

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

$18.78 BAM 32.17

$9.95 COP 32.4K

88.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.36 BAM 48.58

$24.18 COP 78.7K

17.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.91 BAM 49.51

$25.08 COP 81.6K

15.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.81 BAM 18.51

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-43.55%

Cinema Ticket

$5.63 BAM 9.64

$3.98 COP 13.0K

41.46%

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

$154 BAM 265

$305 COP 993.4K

-49.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,321 BAM 5,688

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-45.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.0 BAM 158

$58.1 COP 189.2K

58.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.81 BAM 59.6

$32.20 COP 104.8K

8.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.2 BAM 168

$101 COP 327.9K

-2.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 BAM 177

$108 COP 350.8K

-4.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$221 BAM 378

$477 COP 1.6M

-53.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 BAM 332

$376 COP 1.2M

-48.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$265 BAM 454

$845 COP 2.7M

-68.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$220 BAM 377

$730 COP 2.4M

-69.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,767 BAM 3,026

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-45.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,375 BAM 2,354

$1,372 COP 4.5M

0.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$734 BAM 1,256

$617 COP 2.0M

18.93%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $221 in Istočno Sarajevo and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Istočno Sarajevo pays 19% 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 $193 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 9% in total monthly costs ($943 vs $1,031 including rent). Istočno Sarajevo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 19% 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: $221 in Istočno Sarajevo versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 24% 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 $943 in Istočno Sarajevo versus $1,031 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 9% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.