Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zenica Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zenica

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $884 in Zenica, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,294 in Zenica, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,703 in Zenica, rent included.

Medellin costs about 15% more than Zenica, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Zenica are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Zenica 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$6.87 BAM 11.57

-12.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$18.70 BAM 31.50

75.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$4.20 BAM 7.07

68.81%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$1.59 BAM 2.69

7.55%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$1.79 BAM 3.02

-38.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$1.20 BAM 2.01

-35.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$2.03 BAM 3.42

-17.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$2.02 BAM 3.40

51.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.22 BAM 2.05

-10.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.85 BAM 1.44

48.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.72 BAM 2.90

-19.77%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$2.68 BAM 4.51

-18.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$7.66 BAM 12.91

-42.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$7.32 BAM 12.33

-23.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$12.96 BAM 21.84

-31.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$1.41 BAM 2.37

65.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.64 BAM 2.77

-35.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.54 BAM 2.60

-2.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$1.84 BAM 3.10

-25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.04 BAM 1.75

10.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.25 BAM 2.11

-7.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.57 BAM 0.97

56.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.71 BAM 1.20

18.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$3.60 BAM 6.06

-36.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$4.24 BAM 7.14

150.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$0.84 BAM 1.42

42.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$1.00 BAM 1.68

147.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.85 BAM 1.44

1.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$32.08 BAM 54.1

29.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$1.59 BAM 2.67

-7.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.84 BAM 1.41

133.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$8.99 BAM 15.14

-13.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.45 BAM 2.44

-34.48%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$23.8K BAM 40.1K

-23.76%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$26.2K BAM 44.1K

1.13%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$168 BAM 284

-51.14%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$19.17 BAM 32.29

-50.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$24.40 BAM 41.11

-0.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$24.13 BAM 40.66

7.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$14.50 BAM 24.43

31.03%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.63 BAM 7.80

-15.12%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$149 BAM 252

107.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$3,286 BAM 5,536

81.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$51.1 BAM 86.1

14.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$30.99 BAM 52.2

4.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$94.6 BAM 159

8.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$92.2 BAM 155

17.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$195 BAM 328

144.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$145 BAM 245

160.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$280 BAM 471

199.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$206 BAM 347

251.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$1,631 BAM 2,748

71.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,337 BAM 2,252

-9.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$732 BAM 1,234

-30.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

347.67%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Zenica: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $195 in Zenica. 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 43% higher in Zenica, 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 $19.00 in Zenica. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $200 in Zenica – 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 Zenica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 15%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,326 in Zenica. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zenica, 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 $19.00 in Zenica. 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 $884 in Zenica. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zenica, where all-in costs run around $884, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Zenica it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zenica – 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 Zenica. 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.