Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Neum

For one person, living is cheaper in Neum: $955 a month against $1,614 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $7,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index
46

Cost of Living Index in Neum
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Neum Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,614

/mo nomad

Neum

🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina

$955

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Neum

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 Neum actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,614 per month in Medellin vs $955 in Neum, rent included.

Medellin $1,614
Neum $955

A couple spends around $2,402 per month in Medellin vs $1,410 in Neum, rent included.

Medellin $2,402
Neum $1,410

A family of three spends $3,190 per month in Medellin vs $1,866 in Neum, rent included.

Medellin $3,190
Neum $1,866

Medellin costs about 69% more than Neum, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Neum is 29% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.93 COP 25.3K

$5.29 BAM 9.24

49.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.13 COP 147.1K

$30.98 BAM 54.1

48.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 30.3K

$5.67 BAM 9.91

67.55%

Cappuccino

$3.11 COP 9,920

$1.90 BAM 3.32

63.68%

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

$1.83 COP 5,832

$1.90 BAM 3.33

-3.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 COP 4,384

$1.18 BAM 2.07

16.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 COP 9,725

$2.52 BAM 4.41

21.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.50 COP 17.5K

$2.19 BAM 3.83

151.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 COP 4,625

$1.12 BAM 1.96

29.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.36 COP 7,537

$0.95 BAM 1.65

148.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 COP 5,358

$2.07 BAM 3.62

-18.84%

Eggs

$2.86 COP 9,127

$2.57 BAM 4.48

11.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 COP 32.5K

$7.88 BAM 13.77

29.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 COP 30.4K

$7.37 BAM 12.87

29.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.04 COP 44.8K

$10.39 BAM 18.15

35.13%

Apples (1kg)

$4.07 COP 13.0K

$1.12 BAM 1.96

263.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,768

$1.62 BAM 2.83

-7.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 COP 6,929

$1.36 BAM 2.37

59.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 COP 7,350

$1.20 BAM 2.09

92.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 COP 6,147

$0.98 BAM 1.72

96.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 COP 5,224

$0.99 BAM 1.72

65.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 COP 3,590

$0.76 BAM 1.32

48.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,976

$0.71 BAM 1.24

76.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 COP 12.7K

$3.93 BAM 6.86

1.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.35 COP 42.6K

$3.99 BAM 6.96

234.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 COP 5,413

$0.78 BAM 1.36

117.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 7,566

$0.89 BAM 1.55

166.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 COP 3,848

$1.27 BAM 2.21

-4.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.5 COP 243.9K

$57.4 BAM 100

33.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.32 COP 4,202

$1.74 BAM 3.05

-24.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 COP 6,811

$0.60 BAM 1.04

256.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.47 COP 27.0K

$5.79 BAM 10.11

46.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,137

$1.55 BAM 2.70

-16.13%

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

$28.0K COP 89.2M

$29.9K BAM 52.2K

-6.27%

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

$35.4K COP 112.9M

$21.3K BAM 37.3K

66.08%

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

$172 COP 548.6K

$135 BAM 237

27.09%

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

$13.37 COP 42.6K

$17.64 BAM 30.82

-24.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.73 COP 91.6K

$25.86 BAM 45.18

11.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.24 COP 144.2K

$32.47 BAM 56.7

39.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.04 COP 54.3K

$11.52 BAM 20.13

47.92%

Cinema Ticket

$6.28 COP 20.0K

$5.74 BAM 10.02

9.41%

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

$770 COP 2.5M

$198 BAM 346

289.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,011 COP 28.7M

$2,317 BAM 4,048

288.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.4 COP 275.5K

$59.4 BAM 104

45.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.1 COP 182.1K

$33.42 BAM 58.4

70.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 435.3K

$85.8 BAM 150

59.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 COP 312.1K

$83.3 BAM 146

17.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,055 COP 3.4M

$345 BAM 603

205.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$616 COP 2.0M

$248 BAM 433

148.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,892 COP 6.0M

$506 BAM 884

273.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,023 COP 3.3M

$355 BAM 620

188.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,059 COP 12.9M

$2,410 BAM 4,210

68.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,678 COP 5.4M

$1,786 BAM 3,120

-6.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$652 COP 2.1M

$847 BAM 1,480

-23.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

2.9

277.24%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Last update for Neum: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$616 38.2%

Neum

$248 25.9% 59.8% $368

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$295 18.3%

Neum

$188 19.7% 36.3% $107

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$214 13.3%

Neum

$179 18.7% 16.5% $35

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$170 10.5%

Neum

$118 12.4% 30.7% $52

Eating Out

Medellin

$168 10.4%

Neum

$112 11.7% 33.8% $57

Getting Around

Medellin

$93 5.8%

Neum

$67 7% 28% $26

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$58 3.6%

Neum

$44 4.6% 24% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,055 in Medellin versus $345 in Neum. 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 30% higher in Neum, 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 $46.00 in Medellin versus $31.00 in Neum. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $188 – making Neum the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇧🇦 Neum

🕒 Local time

01:31 1:31 AM

08:31 8:31 AM

7 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

3,200

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark BAM KM

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.14 USD

10,000 COP = 2.8 EUR

1 BAM = 0.572 USD

1 BAM = 0.512 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BAM, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 14, 2026: 1 USD = 3,188 COP (10,000 COP = 3.14 USD). 1 EUR = 3,568 COP (10,000 COP = 2.8 EUR).

Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark exchange rates as of October 14, 2026: 1 USD = 1.75 BAM (1 BAM = 0.572 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BAM (1 BAM = 0.512 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Medellin Neum 9,790 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Neum

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 Neum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 69%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,421 per month in Medellin and $1,432 in Neum. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Neum, 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 $46.00 in Medellin and $31.00 in Neum. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,614 in Medellin and $955 in Neum. That's a gap of about 69%.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Neum, where all-in costs run around $955, than in Medellin at $1,614. In Neum it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Neum – 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 Neum. 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.