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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $934 in Kakanj, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,465 in Kakanj, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,996 in Kakanj, rent included.

Medellin costs about 10% more than Kakanj, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Kakanj are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Kakanj 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$7.24 BAM 12.39

-14.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$35.97 BAM 61.6

-9.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$5.72 BAM 9.80

28.32%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.59 BAM 2.72

8.18%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.81 BAM 3.10

-41.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$1.16 BAM 1.98

-33.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.02 BAM 3.45

-16.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.03 BAM 3.48

56.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.42 BAM 2.43

-26.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.26 BAM 2.16

3.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.75 BAM 2.99

-20.00%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$3.00 BAM 5.15

-28.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$7.76 BAM 13.29

-43.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$7.75 BAM 13.27

-24.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$12.21 BAM 20.91

-29.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.40 BAM 2.40

62.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.66 BAM 2.84

-33.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.91 BAM 3.27

-19.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.73 BAM 2.97

-21.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.08 BAM 1.85

4.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.15 BAM 1.97

-1.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.16 BAM 1.99

-26.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.76 BAM 1.30

19.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.58 BAM 6.13

-34.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$8.22 BAM 14.07

50.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.91 BAM 1.56

31.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.21 BAM 2.07

105.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$1.82 BAM 3.12

-53.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$35.38 BAM 60.6

14.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.43 BAM 2.45

-0.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.78 BAM 1.34

146.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$9.00 BAM 15.41

-14.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.52 BAM 2.60

-34.87%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$26.6K BAM 45.5K

-32.16%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$26.1K BAM 44.7K

2.07%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$162 BAM 277

-50.11%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$19.11 BAM 32.72

-47.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$23.48 BAM 40.22

2.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$29.09 BAM 49.82

-13.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$10.85 BAM 18.58

76.50%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.72 BAM 9.79

-30.42%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$171 BAM 294

78.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$3,325 BAM 5,695

82.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$70.0 BAM 120

-16.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$35.30 BAM 60.5

-8.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$89.0 BAM 152

13.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$119 BAM 204

-9.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$260 BAM 445

83.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$166 BAM 285

126.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$363 BAM 622

132.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$312 BAM 534

134.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,740 BAM 4,692

17.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,867 BAM 3,198

-26.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.23

217.49%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kakanj: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $260 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $36.00 in Kakanj. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $220 – making Medellin 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 10%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,401 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.

Public transport costs about 15% less in Kakanj. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Medellin and $171 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 $934, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.