Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mostar Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mostar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,001 in Mostar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,475 in Mostar, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,949 in Mostar, rent included.

Medellin costs about 1% more than Mostar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Mostar are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Mostar 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$7.07 BAM 11.88

-15.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$35.96 BAM 60.4

-8.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$5.45 BAM 9.16

30.09%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$1.59 BAM 2.68

7.55%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.87 BAM 3.14

-41.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$1.16 BAM 1.95

-32.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$2.10 BAM 3.53

-20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.12 BAM 3.56

44.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.36 BAM 2.28

-19.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.28 BAM 2.16

-1.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.63 BAM 2.73

-15.34%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.79 BAM 4.68

-21.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$9.26 BAM 15.57

-52.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$7.52 BAM 12.64

-25.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$11.93 BAM 20.05

-25.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.28 BAM 2.15

82.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.66 BAM 2.78

-36.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.86 BAM 3.12

-19.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.73 BAM 2.90

-20.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.78 BAM 1.31

47.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$0.74 BAM 1.25

56.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.98 BAM 1.65

-9.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.73 BAM 1.23

15.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$3.61 BAM 6.07

-36.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$4.12 BAM 6.93

158.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$0.70 BAM 1.18

71.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.13 BAM 1.90

118.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$1.15 BAM 1.93

-25.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$34.06 BAM 57.2

21.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.45 BAM 2.43

1.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.90 BAM 1.52

117.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$9.07 BAM 15.23

-14.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.43 BAM 2.40

-33.57%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$23.4K BAM 39.3K

-22.42%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$26.1K BAM 43.9K

1.46%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$125 BAM 210

-34.27%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$18.89 BAM 31.74

-49.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$23.79 BAM 39.97

1.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$34.88 BAM 58.6

-25.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$11.97 BAM 20.11

58.73%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.82 BAM 8.10

-18.46%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$152 BAM 256

103.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$3,216 BAM 5,403

85.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$74.8 BAM 126

-21.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$34.58 BAM 58.1

-6.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$90.9 BAM 153

12.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$117 BAM 196

-7.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$263 BAM 443

80.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$270 BAM 454

40.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$443 BAM 744

89.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$311 BAM 523

132.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$2,392 BAM 4,019

16.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,624 BAM 2,728

-25.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$890 BAM 1,496

-42.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.14

224.40%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mostar: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $263 in Mostar. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 74% higher in Mostar, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $36.00 in Mostar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $208 – 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 Mostar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 1%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,502 in Mostar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $36.00 in Mostar. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $1,001 in Mostar. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mostar, where all-in costs run around $1,001, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Mostar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mostar – 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 Mostar. 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.