Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Istočno Sarajevo Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Istočno Sarajevo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $943 in Istočno Sarajevo.

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

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

Living in Medellin is roughly 9% more expensive than in Istočno Sarajevo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$7.05 BAM 12.07

-12.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$34.79 BAM 59.6

-6.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$5.50 BAM 9.42

33.45%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.81 BAM 3.10

-4.97%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$2.07 BAM 3.55

-49.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$1.41 BAM 2.42

-45.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.32 BAM 3.97

-27.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.11 BAM 3.61

50.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.41 BAM 2.41

-25.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.35 BAM 2.31

-3.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$2.16 BAM 3.69

-35.19%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$3.17 BAM 5.43

-31.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$10.16 BAM 17.41

-56.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$8.31 BAM 14.24

-29.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$13.11 BAM 22.45

-34.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.48 BAM 2.54

54.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.63 BAM 2.78

-31.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.79 BAM 3.07

-14.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.73 BAM 2.96

-21.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.09 BAM 1.86

3.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.16 BAM 1.98

-2.59%

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

$1.00 BAM 1.71

-9.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.75 BAM 6.42

-37.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$7.94 BAM 13.60

55.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.08 BAM 1.86

11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.33 BAM 2.27

87.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$1.84 BAM 3.15

-54.35%

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

$1.49 BAM 2.56

-4.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.76 BAM 1.31

152.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$10.56 BAM 18.09

-27.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.57 BAM 2.70

-36.94%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$23.6K BAM 40.5K

-23.68%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$25.5K BAM 43.7K

4.35%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$123 BAM 210

-34.04%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$18.78 BAM 32.17

-47.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$28.36 BAM 48.58

-14.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$28.91 BAM 49.51

-13.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$10.81 BAM 18.51

77.15%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.63 BAM 9.64

-29.31%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$154 BAM 265

97.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$3,321 BAM 5,688

82.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$92.0 BAM 158

-36.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$34.81 BAM 59.6

-7.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$98.2 BAM 168

2.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$103 BAM 177

4.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$221 BAM 378

116.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$194 BAM 332

93.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$265 BAM 454

218.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$220 BAM 377

231.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,767 BAM 3,026

81.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,375 BAM 2,354

-0.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$734 BAM 1,256

-15.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

3.8

253.42%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Istočno Sarajevo: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $221 in Istočno Sarajevo. 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $35.00 in Istočno Sarajevo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $238 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 Istočno Sarajevo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

On paper, salaries run 19% lower in Istočno Sarajevo. 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 $221 in Istočno Sarajevo. 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, Medellin and Istočno Sarajevo 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.