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: $1,013 in Medellin versus $999 in Bihac.

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

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $1,880 in Bihac.

Living in Medellin is roughly 1% more expensive than Bihac, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Bihac 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$6.88 BAM 11.60

-12.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$29.91 BAM 50.4

9.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$5.76 BAM 9.71

23.09%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$1.16 BAM 1.95

47.41%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$1.16 BAM 1.95

-5.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.86 BAM 1.44

-9.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.50 BAM 2.53

12.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$1.74 BAM 2.93

76.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.34 BAM 2.25

-18.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$1.11 BAM 1.87

13.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$2.38 BAM 4.02

-42.02%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$2.87 BAM 4.84

-23.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$10.16 BAM 17.11

-56.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$7.32 BAM 12.34

-23.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$11.57 BAM 19.49

-23.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$1.74 BAM 2.93

34.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.61 BAM 2.72

-34.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.90 BAM 3.21

-21.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$2.07 BAM 3.49

-33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.15 BAM 1.93

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.44 BAM 2.43

-19.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.92 BAM 1.54

-3.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.86 BAM 1.46

-2.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$3.50 BAM 5.90

-34.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$8.36 BAM 14.08

27.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.25 BAM 2.11

-4.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.01 BAM 3.39

22.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$1.81 BAM 3.05

-52.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$35.05 BAM 59.1

18.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$1.20 BAM 2.03

22.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.77 BAM 1.30

154.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$10.75 BAM 18.11

-28.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.49 BAM 2.51

-36.24%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$23.7K BAM 40.0K

-23.64%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$26.2K BAM 44.1K

1.07%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$210 BAM 353

-60.74%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$19.23 BAM 32.39

-50.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$21.97 BAM 37.02

10.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$29.75 BAM 50.1

-12.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$10.88 BAM 18.34

74.63%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$5.55 BAM 9.35

-29.19%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$150 BAM 252

106.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$2,937 BAM 4,949

103.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$29.33 BAM 49.41

100.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$17.54 BAM 29.55

84.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$98.5 BAM 166

4.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$118 BAM 198

-7.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$222 BAM 373

114.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$206 BAM 348

83.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$308 BAM 520

171.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$280 BAM 472

158.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$1,492 BAM 2,514

87.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,326 BAM 2,234

-8.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$806 BAM 1,358

-36.48%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bihac: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $222 in Bihac. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bihac pays 57% 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 $188 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 1% in total monthly costs ($1,013 vs $999 including rent). Bihac is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Bihac earns 57% less. 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: $476 in Medellin versus $222 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 $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $999 in Bihac – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $999 in Bihac versus $1,013 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 1% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.