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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,176 in Sarajevo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,784 in Sarajevo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,393 in Sarajevo, rent included.

Medellin is about 12% cheaper than Sarajevo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Sarajevo are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Sarajevo 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$7.14 BAM 12.22

-13.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$35.96 BAM 61.6

-9.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$8.80 BAM 15.07

-16.59%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.07 BAM 3.55

-16.91%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$2.02 BAM 3.46

-48.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$1.39 BAM 2.38

-44.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.73 BAM 4.67

-38.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.39 BAM 4.10

32.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.41 BAM 2.41

-25.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.21 BAM 2.08

7.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$2.04 BAM 3.50

-31.37%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$3.25 BAM 5.57

-33.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$10.46 BAM 17.92

-58.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$8.84 BAM 15.14

-33.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$13.24 BAM 22.67

-34.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.55 BAM 2.65

47.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.86 BAM 3.18

-40.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.08 BAM 3.55

-26.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.30 BAM 3.95

-41.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.12 BAM 1.92

0.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.21 BAM 2.08

-6.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.27 BAM 2.18

-33.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.81 BAM 1.38

12.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.77 BAM 6.45

-37.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$8.00 BAM 13.70

54.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.05 BAM 1.80

14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.28 BAM 2.19

94.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$1.03 BAM 1.77

-18.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$31.73 BAM 54.4

27.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.49 BAM 2.56

-4.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.77 BAM 1.32

149.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$8.63 BAM 14.78

-11.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.49 BAM 2.55

-33.56%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$26.6K BAM 45.5K

-32.17%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$25.8K BAM 44.3K

3.03%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$202 BAM 346

-60.00%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$19.03 BAM 32.60

-47.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$32.94 BAM 56.4

-26.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$35.14 BAM 60.2

-28.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$16.26 BAM 27.85

17.77%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$7.20 BAM 12.33

-44.72%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$258 BAM 442

18.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$3,394 BAM 5,813

78.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$91.6 BAM 157

-36.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$37.77 BAM 64.7

-14.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$108 BAM 184

-6.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$101 BAM 172

7.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$436 BAM 747

9.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$303 BAM 519

24.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$892 BAM 1,527

-5.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$580 BAM 994

25.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$3,245 BAM 5,559

-0.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$2,315 BAM 3,965

-40.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$1,042 BAM 1,784

-40.78%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sarajevo: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $436 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 69% 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: $193 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 14%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,764 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $1,176 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 $1,031, than in Sarajevo at $1,176. 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.