Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kakanj

For one person, living is cheaper in Kakanj: $937 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $8,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Kakanj, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Kakanj
🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina
$937
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Kakanj

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Kakanj actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $937 in Kakanj, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Kakanj $937

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $1,424 in Kakanj, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Kakanj $1,424

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $1,912 in Kakanj, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Kakanj $1,912

Medellin costs about 75% more than Kakanj, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Kakanj is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Kakanj
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 25.3K
$6.84 BAM 12.00
18.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 147.2K
$37.29 BAM 65.4
26.17%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 29.7K
$6.67 BAM 11.69
42.43%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,433
$1.63 BAM 2.86
84.66%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,629
$1.90 BAM 3.34
-5.26%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,419
$1.28 BAM 2.24
10.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 9,935
$2.30 BAM 4.03
38.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.0K
$1.99 BAM 3.49
188.94%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Kakanj
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,724
$1.13 BAM 1.98
33.63%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,439
$1.07 BAM 1.88
122.43%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,542
$2.11 BAM 3.69
-16.11%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,043
$3.10 BAM 5.43
-6.77%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 31.9K
$10.73 BAM 18.81
-5.03%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 30.9K
$7.34 BAM 12.88
34.47%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 43.8K
$13.70 BAM 24.02
2.12%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.4K
$1.05 BAM 1.84
278.10%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 4,856
$1.68 BAM 2.94
-7.74%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 6,829
$1.31 BAM 2.30
66.41%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 6,832
$1.43 BAM 2.51
52.45%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,140
$1.01 BAM 1.76
94.06%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 4,973
$0.96 BAM 1.68
65.63%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,584
$1.16 BAM 2.04
-0.86%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 3,889
$0.71 BAM 1.24
74.65%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.4K
$4.05 BAM 7.09
-2.22%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 42.8K
$8.00 BAM 14.02
71.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,193
$1.04 BAM 1.82
59.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,064
$1.48 BAM 2.59
52.70%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Kakanj
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,654
$1.36 BAM 2.38
-13.97%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 242.1K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 3,967
$1.56 BAM 2.74
-18.59%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,406
$0.75 BAM 1.31
173.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 26.8K
$10.78 BAM 18.91
-20.69%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,214
$1.52 BAM 2.67
-11.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 106.6M
$31.9K BAM 55.9K
6.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 108.5M
$24.0K BAM 42.1K
44.28%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Kakanj
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 530.8K
$137 BAM 241
23.40%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 42.4K
$19.19 BAM 33.65
-29.39%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 87.8K
$28.69 BAM 50.3
-2.16%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Kakanj
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 136.7K
$29.99 BAM 52.6
45.72%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 53.8K
$14.33 BAM 25.12
19.96%
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 21.6K
$6.72 BAM 11.78
2.83%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Kakanj
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.5M
$127 BAM 223
525.94%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 28.5M
$11.7K BAM 20.5K
-22.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Kakanj
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 265.0K
$66.7 BAM 117
26.98%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 181.3K
$37.32 BAM 65.4
55.31%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 422.2K
$83.2 BAM 146
62.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 306.2K
$106 BAM 186
-7.72%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Kakanj
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.8M
$277 BAM 486
335.60%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.0M
$220 BAM 386
191.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.3M
$568 BAM 997
256.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.2M
$340 BAM 597
197.39%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.0M
$2,570 BAM 4,507
62.24%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.0M
$1,573 BAM 2,759
21.43%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Kakanj
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
4.3
154.42%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Kakanj: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Kakanj
$220 65.7% $422
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Kakanj
$223 25% $74
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Kakanj
$185 12.3% $26
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Kakanj
$123 27.8% $47
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Kakanj
$132 21.9% $37
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Kakanj
$11 * 88.5% $83
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Kakanj
$43 24.5% $14

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $277 in Kakanj. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $37 in Kakanj. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $223 – making Kakanj the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇧🇦 Kakanj
🕒 Local time
15:39 3:39 PM
21:39 9:39 PM
6 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
11,796
Exchange rates and currency converter

BAM, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 27, 2026: 1 USD = 3,129 COP (10,000 COP = 3.2 USD). 1 EUR = 3,488 COP (10,000 COP = 2.87 EUR).

Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark exchange rates as of October 27, 2026: 1 USD = 1.75 BAM (1 BAM = 0.57 USD). 1 EUR = 1.95 BAM (1 BAM = 0.512 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Kakanj 9,820 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Kakanj

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Kakanj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kakanj cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 75%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $1,405 in Kakanj. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kakanj, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $277 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Kakanj?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,639 in Medellin and $937 in Kakanj. That’s a gap of about 75%.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $797 per month in Medellin and $127 in Kakanj. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is Medellin or Kakanj more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Kakanj – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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