Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bihac Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bihac

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $983 in Bihac.

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

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

Living in Medellin is roughly 5% more expensive than in Bihac, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$7.26 BAM 12.43

-15.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$29.94 BAM 51.3

8.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$5.57 BAM 9.53

31.78%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.20 BAM 2.06

43.33%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.15 BAM 1.96

-8.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.89 BAM 1.52

-13.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.50 BAM 2.56

12.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.81 BAM 3.10

75.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.38 BAM 2.37

-23.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.05 BAM 1.80

23.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$2.30 BAM 3.95

-39.13%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.80 BAM 4.80

-22.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$10.08 BAM 17.27

-56.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$7.41 BAM 12.69

-20.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$11.20 BAM 19.18

-22.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.82 BAM 3.11

25.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.69 BAM 2.89

-34.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.91 BAM 3.28

-19.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.03 BAM 3.48

-33.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.19 BAM 2.05

-5.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.45 BAM 2.48

-22.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.96 BAM 1.65

-11.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.91 BAM 1.56

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.60 BAM 6.16

-35.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$8.15 BAM 13.96

51.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.25 BAM 2.13

-4.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.08 BAM 3.56

19.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$1.76 BAM 3.02

-52.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$35.05 BAM 60.0

15.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.21 BAM 2.07

17.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.82 BAM 1.41

134.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$10.75 BAM 18.42

-28.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.48 BAM 2.54

-33.11%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$23.6K BAM 40.4K

-23.63%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$25.9K BAM 44.3K

2.85%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$205 BAM 350

-60.48%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$18.94 BAM 32.44

-47.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$21.90 BAM 37.51

10.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$29.93 BAM 51.3

-16.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$10.82 BAM 18.53

76.99%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.71 BAM 9.77

-30.30%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$146 BAM 250

108.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$2,926 BAM 5,012

107.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$29.42 BAM 50.4

97.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$17.60 BAM 30.15

82.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$99.6 BAM 171

1.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$118 BAM 202

-8.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$223 BAM 382

113.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$210 BAM 359

79.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$308 BAM 528

174.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$284 BAM 487

156.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,486 BAM 2,545

116.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,316 BAM 2,253

4.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$773 BAM 1,324

-20.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.14

224.40%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bihac: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $223 in Bihac. 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $30.00 in Bihac. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $231, 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

Medellin vs Bihac: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

On paper, salaries run 25% lower in Bihac. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $477 in Medellin versus $223 in Bihac. 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 $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $983 in Bihac – 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, Medellin and Bihac 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.