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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,589 per month in Medellin vs $837 in Sabac, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,364 per month in Medellin vs $1,274 in Sabac, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,139 per month in Medellin vs $1,711 in Sabac, rent included.

Medellin costs about 90% more than Sabac, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Sabac is 38% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.01 COP 25.9K

$8.13 RSD 847

-1.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.55 COP 150.8K

$27.23 RSD 2,837

70.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 COP 30.6K

$6.71 RSD 699

40.54%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,432

$1.92 RSD 200

51.56%

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

$1.75 COP 5,678

$1.83 RSD 191

-4.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 COP 4,289

$1.36 RSD 142

-2.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 COP 10.1K

$2.61 RSD 272

19.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 COP 18.0K

$2.59 RSD 270

114.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 COP 4,570

$1.27 RSD 133

11.02%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 COP 7,907

$0.62 RSD 64.1

293.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 COP 5,278

$1.85 RSD 192

-11.89%

Eggs

$2.82 COP 9,140

$1.92 RSD 200

46.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 COP 31.4K

$5.75 RSD 599

68.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.32 COP 30.2K

$6.21 RSD 648

50.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.46 COP 43.6K

$11.54 RSD 1,203

16.64%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 COP 13.0K

$1.18 RSD 123

238.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 COP 4,797

$1.87 RSD 195

-20.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 COP 6,881

$1.39 RSD 145

52.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,298

$1.96 RSD 205

14.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 COP 6,193

$0.64 RSD 67.1

198.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 COP 5,247

$0.34 RSD 35.54

376.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,719

$1.02 RSD 106

12.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 COP 4,088

$0.41 RSD 42.56

207.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.82 COP 12.4K

$3.73 RSD 389

2.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 COP 42.5K

$7.42 RSD 773

76.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 5,168

$0.64 RSD 66.5

150.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,308

$0.99 RSD 103

128.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,793

$0.94 RSD 97.8

24.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.0 COP 243.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,123

$1.41 RSD 147

-9.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,640

$0.98 RSD 102

109.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 COP 26.6K

$5.22 RSD 544

57.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 COP 4,113

$1.82 RSD 189

-30.22%

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

$26.8K COP 86.7M

$30.8K RSD 3.2M

-13.04%

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

$34.4K COP 111.5M

$26.0K RSD 2.7M

32.14%

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

$162 COP 525.5K

$136 RSD 14.2K

19.27%

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

$13.12 COP 42.5K

$25.95 RSD 2,704

-49.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.09 COP 91.0K

$19.27 RSD 2,008

45.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.33 COP 143.6K

$29.50 RSD 3,074

50.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 COP 52.9K

$11.61 RSD 1,210

40.65%

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 COP 19.7K

$5.49 RSD 572

10.93%

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

$764 COP 2.5M

$173 RSD 18.0K

342.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,904 COP 28.8M

$3,890 RSD 405.3K

128.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.0 COP 275.3K

$61.2 RSD 6,374

38.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 COP 186.2K

$66.8 RSD 6,964

-13.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 COP 426.9K

$56.5 RSD 5,884

133.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 COP 310.2K

$117 RSD 12.2K

-17.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 COP 3.3M

$232 RSD 24.2K

343.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 COP 2.0M

$149 RSD 15.5K

306.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,802 COP 5.8M

$337 RSD 35.1K

435.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$993 COP 3.2M

$256 RSD 26.6K

288.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,921 COP 12.7M

$1,907 RSD 198.7K

105.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,639 COP 5.3M

$1,519 RSD 158.3K

7.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 COP 2.0M

$935 RSD 97.4K

-33.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.84

126.03%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Last update for Sabac: October 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,028 in Medellin versus $232 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 49% 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 $47.00 in Medellin versus $27.00 in Sabac. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $181 – making Sabac 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 Sabac: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 90%, 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 $2,384 per month in Medellin and $1,255 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 $47.00 in Medellin and $27.00 in Sabac. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 59% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sabac, where all-in costs run around $837, than in Medellin at $1,589. 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.