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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $850 in Tesanj, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,310 in Tesanj, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,769 in Tesanj, rent included.

Medellin costs about 21% more than Tesanj, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Tesanj are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Tesanj 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$3.45 BAM 5.91

78.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$16.59 BAM 28.41

96.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$2.89 BAM 4.95

153.98%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$0.92 BAM 1.57

86.96%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.43 BAM 2.46

-26.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.91 BAM 1.56

-15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.01 BAM 3.44

-15.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.75 BAM 2.99

81.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.81 BAM 1.39

29.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.92 BAM 1.57

41.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$2.30 BAM 3.94

-39.13%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.89 BAM 4.95

-25.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$10.17 BAM 17.41

-56.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$7.50 BAM 12.85

-21.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$13.13 BAM 22.49

-34.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.25 BAM 2.14

82.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.62 BAM 2.78

-31.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.93 BAM 3.30

-20.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.68 BAM 2.87

-19.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.84 BAM 1.43

34.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.75 BAM 1.28

50.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.92 BAM 1.57

-7.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.02 BAM 1.74

-10.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.61 BAM 6.18

-35.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$8.06 BAM 13.80

53.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.22 BAM 2.08

-1.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.96 BAM 3.36

27.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$1.82 BAM 3.12

-53.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$35.82 BAM 61.4

13.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.16 BAM 1.98

22.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.56 BAM 0.96

242.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$10.47 BAM 17.93

-26.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.48 BAM 2.54

-33.11%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$23.1K BAM 39.6K

-22.02%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$26.1K BAM 44.7K

2.06%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$124 BAM 212

-34.72%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$19.14 BAM 32.78

-48.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$28.79 BAM 49.31

-16.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$29.97 BAM 51.3

-16.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$11.05 BAM 18.93

73.30%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$2.97 BAM 5.09

34.01%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$151 BAM 258

102.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$3,244 BAM 5,556

86.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$70.3 BAM 120

-17.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$34.36 BAM 58.9

-6.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$97.4 BAM 167

3.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$117 BAM 201

-8.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$255 BAM 438

86.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$170 BAM 291

121.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$363 BAM 621

132.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$315 BAM 540

131.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,468 BAM 4,228

30.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,816 BAM 3,111

-24.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$687 BAM 1,177

-10.25%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Tesanj: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $255 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 11% 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 – $193 in Medellin vs $224 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 21%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,276 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $850 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 $850, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.