Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Gracanica Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Gracanica

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $930 in Gracanica.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,442 in Gracanica.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,954 in Gracanica.

Living in Medellin is roughly 11% more expensive than in Gracanica, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$7.22 BAM 12.37

-14.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$36.08 BAM 61.8

-9.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$5.49 BAM 9.41

33.70%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.69 BAM 2.90

1.78%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.78 BAM 3.05

-41.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$1.15 BAM 1.98

-33.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.37 BAM 4.06

-28.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.05 BAM 3.51

54.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.41 BAM 2.41

-25.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.38 BAM 2.36

-5.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$2.31 BAM 3.95

-39.39%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.86 BAM 4.90

-24.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$9.92 BAM 16.98

-55.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$7.27 BAM 12.45

-19.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$13.20 BAM 22.60

-34.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.23 BAM 2.10

85.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.67 BAM 2.86

-33.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.92 BAM 3.29

-20.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.75 BAM 3.00

-22.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.84 BAM 1.44

34.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.68 BAM 1.17

66.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.93 BAM 1.59

-8.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.95 BAM 1.62

-4.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.45 BAM 5.90

-32.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$8.30 BAM 14.22

49.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.21 BAM 2.08

-0.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.05 BAM 3.52

21.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$1.85 BAM 3.16

-54.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$35.82 BAM 61.4

13.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.80 BAM 3.08

-21.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.83 BAM 1.42

131.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$10.51 BAM 17.99

-27.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.43 BAM 2.45

-30.77%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$23.6K BAM 40.4K

-23.59%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$26.1K BAM 44.7K

1.96%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$124 BAM 212

-34.63%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$18.98 BAM 32.51

-47.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$29.21 BAM 50.0

-17.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$29.86 BAM 51.2

-16.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$10.81 BAM 18.52

77.15%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.47 BAM 9.37

-27.24%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$150 BAM 257

103.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$3,333 BAM 5,709

81.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$71.2 BAM 122

-18.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$34.44 BAM 59.0

-6.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$97.3 BAM 167

3.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$120 BAM 205

-10.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$254 BAM 435

87.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$170 BAM 292

120.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$362 BAM 619

133.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$313 BAM 536

133.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,554 BAM 4,374

25.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,821 BAM 3,118

-24.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$585 BAM 1,002

5.45%

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 Gracanica: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $254 in Gracanica. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 5% 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 Gracanica 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 Gracanica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gracanica is cheaper overall, especially in Getting Around. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 5% 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 $254 in Gracanica. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $305 in Medellin versus $150 in Gracanica. 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 $930 in Gracanica versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Gracanica but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Gracanica the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Gracanica 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.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Gracanica 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 Gracanica gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.