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: $1,013 in Medellin versus $962 in Istočno Sarajevo.

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

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $1,918 in Istočno Sarajevo.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Istočno Sarajevo 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$7.15 BAM 12.05

-16.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$35.34 BAM 59.5

-7.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$5.46 BAM 9.20

29.85%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$1.79 BAM 3.01

-4.47%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$2.00 BAM 3.37

-45.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$1.40 BAM 2.36

-44.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$2.40 BAM 4.04

-30.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$2.12 BAM 3.57

44.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.41 BAM 2.38

-22.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$1.34 BAM 2.26

-5.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$2.09 BAM 3.52

-33.97%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$3.29 BAM 5.54

-33.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$10.15 BAM 17.11

-56.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$8.28 BAM 13.95

-32.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$13.05 BAM 21.99

-31.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$1.54 BAM 2.59

51.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.63 BAM 2.75

-34.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.72 BAM 2.89

-12.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$1.74 BAM 2.93

-20.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.08 BAM 1.82

6.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.20 BAM 2.02

-3.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.99 BAM 1.67

-10.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.93 BAM 1.57

-9.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$3.67 BAM 6.19

-37.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$8.20 BAM 13.82

29.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.08 BAM 1.82

11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$1.30 BAM 2.20

90.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$1.83 BAM 3.08

-53.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$35.83 BAM 60.4

15.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$1.43 BAM 2.40

2.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.78 BAM 1.31

151.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$10.61 BAM 17.87

-27.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.50 BAM 2.53

-36.67%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$23.1K BAM 39.0K

-21.60%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$26.0K BAM 43.8K

1.87%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$121 BAM 204

-31.93%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$18.94 BAM 31.91

-49.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$29.07 BAM 48.97

-16.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$29.97 BAM 50.5

-13.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$11.02 BAM 18.57

72.41%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$5.62 BAM 9.47

-30.07%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$154 BAM 259

101.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$3,306 BAM 5,570

80.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$90.7 BAM 153

-35.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$35.26 BAM 59.4

-8.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$98.2 BAM 165

4.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$101 BAM 171

6.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$219 BAM 369

117.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$194 BAM 327

95.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$269 BAM 454

211.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$217 BAM 365

233.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$1,826 BAM 3,076

52.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,425 BAM 2,401

-15.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$725 BAM 1,221

-29.40%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Istočno Sarajevo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $219 in Istočno Sarajevo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Istočno Sarajevo pays 42% 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 $188 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 5% in total monthly costs ($1,013 vs $962 including rent). Istočno Sarajevo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Istočno Sarajevo earns 42% 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 $219 in Istočno Sarajevo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 26% 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 $962 in Istočno Sarajevo versus $1,013 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 5% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.