Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tesanj Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tesanj

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $954 in Tesanj, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,390 in Tesanj, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,825 in Tesanj, rent included.

Medellin costs about 72% more than Tesanj, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Tesanj is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.9K

$3.46 BAM 5.81

132.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 149.7K

$16.42 BAM 27.59

194.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.2K

$2.94 BAM 4.93

220.41%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,105

$0.91 BAM 1.53

223.08%

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

$1.86 COP 5,776

$1.44 BAM 2.42

29.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,511

$0.86 BAM 1.44

69.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,953

$2.07 BAM 3.48

55.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.7K

$1.81 BAM 3.03

215.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,460

$0.81 BAM 1.36

77.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,442

$0.86 BAM 1.44

179.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,265

$2.31 BAM 3.88

-26.41%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,960

$3.06 BAM 5.13

-5.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 31.2K

$9.88 BAM 16.60

1.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.9K

$7.27 BAM 12.22

37.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 44.0K

$13.43 BAM 22.55

5.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$1.25 BAM 2.10

218.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,913

$1.81 BAM 3.04

-12.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,671

$1.85 BAM 3.10

16.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,129

$1.74 BAM 2.93

32.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,213

$0.79 BAM 1.33

153.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,679

$0.68 BAM 1.15

122.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,727

$0.95 BAM 1.59

26.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,974

$1.01 BAM 1.70

26.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.9K

$4.00 BAM 6.72

-4.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.4K

$8.02 BAM 13.48

74.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,294

$1.31 BAM 2.19

30.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,500

$2.32 BAM 3.90

18.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,861

$1.31 BAM 2.20

-4.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 241.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,045

$1.17 BAM 1.97

11.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,728

$0.57 BAM 0.96

280.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.7K

$10.75 BAM 18.06

-22.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,202

$1.53 BAM 2.57

-11.11%

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

$27.5K COP 85.2M

$31.6K BAM 53.1K

-13.05%

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

$36.5K COP 113.2M

$22.4K BAM 37.6K

63.13%

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

$169 COP 523.0K

$124 BAM 209

35.89%

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

$13.57 COP 42.1K

$18.92 BAM 31.78

-28.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.8K

$28.33 BAM 47.59

-0.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 141.7K

$34.48 BAM 57.9

32.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.4K

$30.09 BAM 50.6

-42.77%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.6K

$3.01 BAM 5.05

120.93%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$152 BAM 256

427.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.5M

$3,994 BAM 6,709

130.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 270.8K

$116 BAM 195

-24.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 184.0K

$34.80 BAM 58.5

70.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 430.5K

$97.6 BAM 164

42.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 316.3K

$117 BAM 197

-12.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$349 BAM 586

206.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$262 BAM 441

148.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 6.0M

$528 BAM 888

264.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$380 BAM 638

175.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.8M

$2,544 BAM 4,272

62.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.3M

$1,825 BAM 3,065

-6.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$715 BAM 1,201

-8.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.3

154.42%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Tesanj: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $349 in Tesanj. 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 9% higher in Tesanj, 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $16.00 in Tesanj. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $225 – making Tesanj 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 Tesanj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 72%, 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 $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,431 in Tesanj. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tesanj, 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $16.00 in Tesanj. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 34% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Tesanj, where all-in costs run around $954, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Tesanj it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tesanj – 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 Tesanj. 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.