Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sabac Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sabac

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $950 in Sabac, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,425 in Sabac, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,900 in Sabac, rent included.

Medellin costs about 7% more than Sabac, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Sabac are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Sabac 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$8.89 RSD 899

-33.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$26.18 RSD 2,648

27.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$9.71 RSD 982

-25.54%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.46 RSD 148

11.64%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.77 RSD 179

-38.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$1.19 RSD 121

-38.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.34 RSD 236

-25.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.09 RSD 211

54.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.39 RSD 140

-24.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.64 RSD 65.1

101.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.92 RSD 194

-31.25%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.23 RSD 225

1.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$7.30 RSD 738

-40.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.73 RSD 681

-12.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$10.73 RSD 1,085

-19.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.29 RSD 131

74.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.89 RSD 192

-43.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.71 RSD 173

-11.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$2.25 RSD 227

-36.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.14 RSD 116

2.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.21 RSD 122

-3.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.06 RSD 107

-16.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.49 RSD 49.05

83.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$4.16 RSD 421

-45.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$6.46 RSD 654

70.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$0.72 RSD 72.3

58.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.18 RSD 220

9.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.91 RSD 92.3

-7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$26.85 RSD 2,715

56.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.03 RSD 104

36.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.46 RSD 46.67

313.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$5.04 RSD 509

53.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.81 RSD 184

-44.20%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$30.8K RSD 3.1M

-42.93%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$27.1K RSD 2.7M

-2.16%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$159 RSD 16.0K

-47.22%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$19.88 RSD 2,011

-52.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$24.81 RSD 2,509

-2.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$23.39 RSD 2,365

8.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$11.88 RSD 1,201

61.11%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$6.81 RSD 689

-39.79%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$178 RSD 18.0K

75.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$3,980 RSD 402.5K

50.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$63.6 RSD 6,431

-8.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$54.7 RSD 5,529

-40.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$116 RSD 11.7K

-13.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$121 RSD 12.2K

-10.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$238 RSD 24.1K

102.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$173 RSD 17.5K

119.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$349 RSD 35.3K

140.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$267 RSD 27.0K

170.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,926 RSD 194.8K

47.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,517 RSD 153.4K

-19.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$977 RSD 98.8K

-44.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

67.88%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Sabac: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $238 in Sabac. 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 81% higher in Sabac, 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 $26.00 in Sabac. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $197 in Sabac – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Sabac: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,425 in Sabac. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sabac, 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 $26.00 in Sabac. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,017 in Medellin and $950 in Sabac. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sabac, where all-in costs run around $950, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Sabac it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sabac – 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 Sabac. 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.