Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Trebinje

For one person, living is cheaper in Trebinje: $852 a month against $1,625 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $9,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,625
/mo nomad
Trebinje
🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina
$852
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Trebinje

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Trebinje actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,625 per month in Medellin vs $852 in Trebinje, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,625
  • Trebinje $852

A couple spends around $2,412 per month in Medellin vs $1,342 in Trebinje, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,412
  • Trebinje $1,342

A family of three spends $3,199 per month in Medellin vs $1,833 in Trebinje, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,199
  • Trebinje $1,833

Medellin costs about 91% more than Trebinje, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Trebinje is 37% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Trebinje
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.30 COP 26.3K
$9.11 BAM 15.84
-8.89%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.91 COP 148.7K
$31.46 BAM 54.7
49.11%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.24 COP 29.3K
$10.72 BAM 18.64
-13.81%
Cappuccino
$3.05 COP 9,676
$1.24 BAM 2.16
145.97%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,707
$1.86 BAM 3.23
-3.23%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 COP 4,382
$1.35 BAM 2.35
2.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.24 COP 10.3K
$2.33 BAM 4.05
39.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.56 COP 17.6K
$2.32 BAM 4.03
139.66%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Trebinje
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 COP 4,760
$1.13 BAM 1.97
32.74%
White Bread (500g)
$2.37 COP 7,508
$1.03 BAM 1.79
130.10%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.70 COP 5,377
$1.60 BAM 2.78
6.25%
Eggs
$2.96 COP 9,379
$2.38 BAM 4.13
24.37%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.22 COP 32.4K
$9.51 BAM 16.54
7.47%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.74 COP 30.9K
$6.67 BAM 11.60
46.03%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.90 COP 44.1K
$11.12 BAM 19.34
25.00%
Apples (1kg)
$4.13 COP 13.1K
$1.23 BAM 2.14
235.77%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,839
$1.65 BAM 2.87
-7.27%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 COP 7,052
$1.21 BAM 2.11
83.47%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.27 COP 7,194
$1.69 BAM 2.94
34.32%
Potato (1kg)
$1.99 COP 6,311
$0.91 BAM 1.58
118.68%
Onion (1kg)
$1.67 COP 5,285
$1.25 BAM 2.17
33.60%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.18 COP 3,742
$0.90 BAM 1.56
31.11%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 3,919
$0.60 BAM 1.04
106.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.87 COP 12.3K
$3.58 BAM 6.23
8.10%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.78 COP 43.7K
$5.63 BAM 9.79
144.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,256
$0.69 BAM 1.20
140.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 COP 7,615
$1.28 BAM 2.22
87.50%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Trebinje
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.24 COP 3,944
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$78.2 COP 248.0K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.28 COP 4,044
$1.12 BAM 1.95
14.29%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.15 COP 6,803
$0.60 BAM 1.04
258.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.37 COP 26.5K
$17.27 BAM 30.03
-51.53%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,288
$1.57 BAM 2.74
-14.01%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.8K COP 110.2M
$30.4K BAM 52.9K
14.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 110.0M
$20.8K BAM 36.1K
66.85%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Trebinje
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 COP 528.4K
$83.6 BAM 145
99.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.62 COP 43.2K
$16.64 BAM 28.94
-18.15%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.12 COP 92.3K
$26.97 BAM 46.89
7.97%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Trebinje
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.09 COP 143.0K
$33.21 BAM 57.7
35.77%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.18 COP 54.5K
$14.42 BAM 25.08
19.14%
Cinema Ticket
$6.97 COP 22.1K
$2.83 BAM 4.92
146.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Trebinje
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.5M
$155 BAM 269
410.70%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,041 COP 28.7M
$3,565 BAM 6,198
153.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Trebinje
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.8 COP 278.4K
$82.3 BAM 143
6.72%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.2 COP 184.4K
$36.61 BAM 63.7
58.84%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$139 COP 440.7K
$96.2 BAM 167
44.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.9 COP 313.5K
$101 BAM 175
-1.72%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Trebinje
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,028 COP 3.3M
$282 BAM 490
264.61%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$620 COP 2.0M
$195 BAM 339
218.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,881 COP 6.0M
$508 BAM 883
270.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,008 COP 3.2M
$360 BAM 625
180.27%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,988 COP 12.6M
$2,524 BAM 4,389
58.00%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,702 COP 5.4M
$1,770 BAM 3,077
-3.83%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Trebinje
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$663 COP 2.1M
$850 BAM 1,479
-22.00%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
4.44
146.40%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 19, 2026

Last update for Trebinje: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$619
Trebinje
$195 68.6% $425
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$298
Trebinje
$195 34.4% $102
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$209
Trebinje
$127 39.2% $82
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$173
Trebinje
$142 17.8% $31
Eating Out
Medellin
$171
Trebinje
$149 12.7% $22
Getting Around
Medellin
$95
Trebinje
$4.1 * 95.7% $91
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$59
Trebinje
$39 34.2% $20

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,028 in Medellin versus $282 in Trebinje. 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 28% higher in Trebinje, 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 $47.00 in Medellin versus $31.00 in Trebinje. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $195 – making Trebinje the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇧🇦 Trebinje
🕒 Local time
13:30 1:30 PM
20:30 8:30 PM
7 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
25,589
Exchange rates and currency converter

BAM, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

Bosnia and Herzegovina Convertible Mark exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BAM (1 BAM = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.95 BAM (1 BAM = 0.512 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Trebinje 9,860 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Trebinje

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Trebinje: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Trebinje cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 91%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,437 per month in Medellin and $1,277 in Trebinje. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Trebinje, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Trebinje?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Medellin and $31.00 in Trebinje. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and in Trebinje?
Groceries cost about 52% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Trebinje?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Trebinje, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Medellin at $1,625. In Trebinje it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Trebinje more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Trebinje – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Medellin or Trebinje?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Trebinje. 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.

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