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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $860 in Zenica, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,260 in Zenica, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,660 in Zenica, rent included.

Medellin costs about 20% more than Zenica, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$7.06 BAM 12.09

-12.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$18.38 BAM 31.48

77.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.23 BAM 7.24

73.52%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.61 BAM 2.75

6.83%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.74 BAM 2.98

-39.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$1.17 BAM 2.00

-34.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.03 BAM 3.47

-16.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.02 BAM 3.46

56.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.21 BAM 2.08

-13.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.91 BAM 1.56

42.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.78 BAM 3.05

-21.35%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.69 BAM 4.60

-19.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$7.76 BAM 13.29

-43.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$7.39 BAM 12.66

-20.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$12.68 BAM 21.72

-31.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.34 BAM 2.30

70.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.63 BAM 2.79

-31.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.55 BAM 2.66

-1.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.83 BAM 3.14

-26.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.01 BAM 1.73

11.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.31 BAM 2.24

-13.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.62 BAM 1.06

37.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.78 BAM 1.33

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.47 BAM 5.94

-32.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$4.00 BAM 6.85

209.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.85 BAM 1.46

41.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.01 BAM 1.74

146.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.90 BAM 1.54

-6.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$32.07 BAM 54.9

26.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.58 BAM 2.70

-10.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.83 BAM 1.43

131.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$8.81 BAM 15.09

-13.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.44 BAM 2.47

-31.25%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$24.0K BAM 41.2K

-25.01%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$26.1K BAM 44.6K

2.20%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$167 BAM 285

-51.51%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$19.21 BAM 32.90

-48.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$25.03 BAM 42.87

-3.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$24.42 BAM 41.83

2.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$14.91 BAM 25.54

28.44%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.79 BAM 8.21

-16.91%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$154 BAM 264

97.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$3,252 BAM 5,569

86.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$50.5 BAM 86.5

15.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$30.90 BAM 52.9

4.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$96.0 BAM 164

4.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$88.7 BAM 152

21.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$199 BAM 342

138.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$147 BAM 252

156.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$280 BAM 480

201.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$209 BAM 358

249.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,609 BAM 2,757

99.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,328 BAM 2,275

3.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$719 BAM 1,231

-14.21%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Zenica: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $199 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 17% 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 $18.00 in Zenica. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $201 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 20%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,290 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 $18.00 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $860 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 $860, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.