Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sarajevo Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sarajevo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,206 in Sarajevo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,811 in Sarajevo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,416 in Sarajevo, rent included.

Medellin is about 16% cheaper than Sarajevo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Sarajevo are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Sarajevo 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$7.21 BAM 12.15

-16.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$35.65 BAM 60.1

-7.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$8.96 BAM 15.10

-20.87%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$2.04 BAM 3.43

-16.18%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$2.01 BAM 3.39

-45.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$1.42 BAM 2.39

-45.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$2.69 BAM 4.54

-37.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$2.32 BAM 3.91

32.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.43 BAM 2.40

-23.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$1.21 BAM 2.04

4.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$2.08 BAM 3.51

-33.65%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$3.24 BAM 5.47

-32.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$10.29 BAM 17.34

-57.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$8.86 BAM 14.92

-36.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$13.44 BAM 22.64

-33.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$1.55 BAM 2.60

50.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.87 BAM 3.15

-43.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$2.05 BAM 3.45

-26.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$2.29 BAM 3.86

-39.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.12 BAM 1.88

2.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.20 BAM 2.02

-3.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$1.22 BAM 2.06

-27.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.76 BAM 1.28

10.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$3.76 BAM 6.34

-39.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$8.33 BAM 14.03

27.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.04 BAM 1.76

15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$1.31 BAM 2.21

88.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$1.08 BAM 1.82

-20.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$31.31 BAM 52.7

32.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$1.44 BAM 2.42

2.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.78 BAM 1.32

151.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$9.08 BAM 15.29

-14.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.52 BAM 2.55

-37.50%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$26.7K BAM 45.1K

-32.21%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$25.9K BAM 43.7K

2.20%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$197 BAM 332

-58.22%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$19.00 BAM 32.01

-50.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$33.37 BAM 56.2

-27.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$35.64 BAM 60.1

-27.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$16.44 BAM 27.70

15.57%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$6.94 BAM 11.70

-43.37%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$255 BAM 429

21.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$3,323 BAM 5,599

79.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$91.3 BAM 154

-35.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$36.66 BAM 61.8

-11.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$108 BAM 183

-5.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$99.9 BAM 168

8.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$432 BAM 728

10.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$313 BAM 527

21.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$877 BAM 1,478

-4.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$600 BAM 1,011

20.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$3,430 BAM 5,779

-18.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$2,383 BAM 4,014

-49.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$1,064 BAM 1,793

-51.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

3.8

253.42%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sarajevo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $432 in Sarajevo. 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 108% higher in Sarajevo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $36.00 in Sarajevo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $246 – 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 Sarajevo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sarajevo is pricier by about 19%, 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 $1,808 in Sarajevo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 Sarajevo. 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 $1,206 in Sarajevo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Sarajevo at $1,206. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sarajevo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sarajevo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.