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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $872 in Tesanj, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,322 in Tesanj, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,772 in Tesanj, rent included.

Medellin costs about 16% more than Tesanj, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Tesanj are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Tesanj 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$3.51 BAM 5.89

70.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$16.66 BAM 27.99

97.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$3.00 BAM 5.04

136.33%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$0.85 BAM 1.43

101.18%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.48 BAM 2.49

-25.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.90 BAM 1.50

-13.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$2.09 BAM 3.51

-19.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$1.81 BAM 3.05

69.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$0.85 BAM 1.43

28.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.90 BAM 1.51

40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$2.40 BAM 4.03

-42.50%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.78 BAM 4.67

-21.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$9.76 BAM 16.40

-54.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$7.30 BAM 12.27

-22.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$13.16 BAM 22.10

-32.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.25 BAM 2.09

87.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.69 BAM 2.85

-37.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.92 BAM 3.22

-21.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.66 BAM 2.78

-16.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.80 BAM 1.34

43.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$0.70 BAM 1.18

65.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.93 BAM 1.56

-4.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.96 BAM 1.62

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$3.49 BAM 5.86

-34.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$8.49 BAM 14.26

25.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.25 BAM 2.11

-4.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.06 BAM 3.46

19.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$1.85 BAM 3.11

-53.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$35.58 BAM 59.8

16.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.16 BAM 1.95

26.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.52 BAM 0.88

276.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$10.67 BAM 17.93

-27.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.44 BAM 2.42

-34.03%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$23.4K BAM 39.3K

-22.40%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$26.7K BAM 44.9K

-0.86%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$124 BAM 209

-33.79%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$19.29 BAM 32.41

-50.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$28.67 BAM 48.17

-15.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$29.51 BAM 49.58

-12.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$10.80 BAM 18.15

75.93%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$2.94 BAM 4.94

33.67%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$150 BAM 251

106.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$3,312 BAM 5,565

80.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$71.8 BAM 121

-18.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$35.38 BAM 59.5

-8.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$99.9 BAM 168

2.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$120 BAM 201

-9.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$262 BAM 440

81.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$168 BAM 283

124.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$370 BAM 621

126.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$313 BAM 526

131.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$2,603 BAM 4,373

7.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,839 BAM 3,090

-34.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$715 BAM 1,201

-28.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.14

224.40%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Tesanj: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $262 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 40% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $17.00 in Tesanj. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $222 in Tesanj – 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 Tesanj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 16%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,308 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $17.00 in Tesanj. 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 $872 in Tesanj. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Tesanj, where all-in costs run around $872, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.