Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Brcko Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Brcko

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $937 in Brcko.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,381 in Brcko.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,825 in Brcko.

Living in Medellin is roughly 10% more expensive than in Brcko, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Brcko 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$7.14 BAM 12.23

-13.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$35.59 BAM 61.0

-8.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$5.48 BAM 9.38

33.94%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.75 BAM 3.00

-1.71%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.01 BAM 1.73

3.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.73 BAM 1.25

5.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$0.92 BAM 1.58

83.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.11 BAM 3.62

50.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.42 BAM 2.43

-26.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.15 BAM 1.96

13.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$2.39 BAM 4.10

-41.42%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.89 BAM 4.95

-25.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$10.12 BAM 17.34

-56.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$7.52 BAM 12.87

-21.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$13.19 BAM 22.59

-34.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.20 BAM 2.06

90.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.62 BAM 2.78

-31.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.84 BAM 3.16

-16.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.73 BAM 2.96

-21.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.84 BAM 1.44

34.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.71 BAM 1.21

59.15%

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

$1.02 BAM 1.75

-10.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.16 BAM 5.41

-25.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$8.47 BAM 14.50

46.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.25 BAM 2.14

-4.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.00 BAM 3.43

24.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$1.15 BAM 1.98

-26.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$34.77 BAM 59.6

16.68%

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

$0.52 BAM 0.90

269.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$10.59 BAM 18.14

-27.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.50 BAM 2.57

-34.00%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$23.9K BAM 40.9K

-24.58%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$26.6K BAM 45.5K

0.23%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$120 BAM 206

-32.86%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$11.78 BAM 20.18

-15.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$28.90 BAM 49.50

-16.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$26.04 BAM 44.60

-3.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$10.97 BAM 18.79

74.57%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.68 BAM 9.72

-29.93%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$153 BAM 262

99.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$3,271 BAM 5,602

85.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$23.87 BAM 40.89

143.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$17.78 BAM 30.46

81.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$88.3 BAM 151

14.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$87.8 BAM 150

22.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$359 BAM 615

32.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$267 BAM 457

40.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$529 BAM 906

59.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$355 BAM 607

105.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,533 BAM 2,625

109.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,195 BAM 2,047

14.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$503 BAM 861

22.70%

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 Brcko: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $359 in Brcko. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 23% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $36.00 in Brcko for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $233 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

Medellin vs Brcko: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brcko is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 23% higher in Medellin, 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: $477 in Medellin versus $359 in Brcko. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $305 in Medellin versus $153 in Brcko. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 21% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $937 in Brcko versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Brcko but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Brcko the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Brcko is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Brcko gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.