Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kakanj Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kakanj

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $982 in Kakanj, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,453 in Kakanj, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,924 in Kakanj, rent included.

Medellin costs about 67% more than Kakanj, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Kakanj is 29% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.9K

$6.95 BAM 11.67

15.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 149.7K

$38.93 BAM 65.4

24.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.2K

$7.09 BAM 11.90

32.86%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,105

$1.70 BAM 2.86

72.94%

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

$1.86 COP 5,776

$1.96 BAM 3.29

-5.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,511

$1.29 BAM 2.17

13.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,953

$2.39 BAM 4.01

34.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.7K

$2.42 BAM 4.07

135.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,460

$1.24 BAM 2.08

16.13%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,442

$1.13 BAM 1.90

112.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,265

$2.13 BAM 3.58

-20.19%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,960

$3.00 BAM 5.04

-3.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 31.2K

$9.75 BAM 16.37

3.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.9K

$7.60 BAM 12.77

31.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 44.0K

$13.41 BAM 22.52

5.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$1.16 BAM 1.94

243.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,913

$1.65 BAM 2.77

-4.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,671

$1.41 BAM 2.36

52.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,129

$1.75 BAM 2.95

31.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,213

$1.01 BAM 1.70

98.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,679

$1.06 BAM 1.78

42.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,727

$1.01 BAM 1.69

18.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,974

$0.76 BAM 1.28

68.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.9K

$3.94 BAM 6.62

-2.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.4K

$7.92 BAM 13.30

76.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,294

$0.91 BAM 1.54

87.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,500

$1.35 BAM 2.27

102.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,861

$1.31 BAM 2.19

-4.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 241.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,045

$1.79 BAM 3.01

-26.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,728

$0.57 BAM 0.96

280.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.7K

$10.83 BAM 18.19

-23.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,202

$1.53 BAM 2.57

-11.11%

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

$27.5K COP 85.2M

$32.0K BAM 53.8K

-14.17%

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

$36.5K COP 113.2M

$22.4K BAM 37.6K

63.12%

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

$169 COP 523.0K

$123 BAM 206

37.57%

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

$13.57 COP 42.1K

$16.85 BAM 28.30

-19.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.8K

$27.72 BAM 46.56

2.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 141.7K

$34.49 BAM 57.9

32.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.6K

$5.57 BAM 9.36

19.39%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$159 BAM 266

406.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.5M

$3,988 BAM 6,698

130.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 270.8K

$60.9 BAM 102

43.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 184.0K

$33.53 BAM 56.3

77.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 430.5K

$90.4 BAM 152

53.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 316.3K

$103 BAM 174

-1.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$349 BAM 586

206.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$261 BAM 438

150.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 6.0M

$533 BAM 895

261.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$381 BAM 641

174.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.8M

$2,576 BAM 4,327

60.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.3M

$1,846 BAM 3,100

-8.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

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: September 7, 2026

Last update for Kakanj: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $349 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $39.00 in Kakanj. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $223 – making Kakanj the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 67%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,473 in Kakanj. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kakanj, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,641 in Medellin and $982 in Kakanj. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $803 per month in Medellin and $159 in Kakanj. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kakanj, where all-in costs run around $982, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Kakanj it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kakanj. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.