Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarajevo and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarajevo and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,206 per month in Sarajevo vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,811 per month in Sarajevo vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,416 per month in Sarajevo vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Sarajevo costs about 19% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sarajevo and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Sarajevo 10% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.21 BAM 12.11

$5.99 COP 21.4K

20.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.65 BAM 59.9

$32.86 COP 117.4K

8.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 BAM 15.05

$7.09 COP 25.3K

26.38%

Cappuccino

$2.04 BAM 3.42

$1.71 COP 6,115

19.30%

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

$2.01 BAM 3.38

$1.10 COP 3,924

82.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 BAM 2.38

$0.78 COP 2,781

82.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.69 BAM 4.52

$1.68 COP 5,997

60.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 BAM 3.90

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-24.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 BAM 2.40

$1.09 COP 3,906

31.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 BAM 2.03

$1.26 COP 4,508

-3.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 BAM 3.50

$1.38 COP 4,922

50.72%

Eggs

$3.24 BAM 5.45

$2.19 COP 7,827

47.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.29 BAM 17.29

$4.40 COP 15.7K

133.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 BAM 14.88

$5.63 COP 20.1K

57.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.44 BAM 22.58

$8.89 COP 31.8K

51.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.55 BAM 2.60

$2.34 COP 8,349

-33.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 BAM 3.15

$1.06 COP 3,777

76.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 BAM 3.44

$1.50 COP 5,374

36.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 BAM 3.84

$1.38 COP 4,924

65.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 BAM 1.88

$1.15 COP 4,111

-2.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 BAM 2.02

$1.16 COP 4,155

3.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 BAM 2.06

$0.89 COP 3,182

37.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 BAM 1.27

$0.84 COP 2,997

-9.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.76 BAM 6.33

$2.28 COP 8,145

64.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.33 BAM 13.99

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-21.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 BAM 1.75

$1.20 COP 4,284

-13.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 BAM 2.21

$2.47 COP 8,824

-46.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 BAM 1.82

$0.86 COP 3,056

25.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.31 BAM 52.6

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-24.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 BAM 2.42

$1.47 COP 5,264

-2.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 BAM 1.31

$1.96 COP 7,009

-60.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.08 BAM 15.25

$7.74 COP 27.6K

17.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 BAM 2.55

$0.95 COP 3,409

60.00%

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

$26.7K BAM 44.9K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

47.51%

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

$25.9K BAM 43.5K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-2.15%

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

$197 BAM 331

$82.3 COP 293.7K

139.34%

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

$19.00 BAM 31.92

$9.50 COP 33.9K

100.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.37 BAM 56.1

$24.23 COP 86.5K

37.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.64 BAM 59.9

$25.89 COP 92.4K

37.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.44 BAM 27.62

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-13.47%

Cinema Ticket

$6.94 BAM 11.67

$3.93 COP 14.0K

76.59%

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

$255 BAM 428

$309 COP 1.1M

-17.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,323 BAM 5,583

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-44.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.3 BAM 153

$58.7 COP 209.5K

55.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.66 BAM 61.6

$32.35 COP 115.5K

13.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 BAM 182

$103 COP 366.4K

5.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.9 BAM 168

$108 COP 387.2K

-7.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 BAM 726

$476 COP 1.7M

-9.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 BAM 526

$379 COP 1.4M

-17.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$877 BAM 1,474

$838 COP 3.0M

4.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$600 BAM 1,008

$724 COP 2.6M

-17.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,430 BAM 5,762

$2,791 COP 10.0M

22.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,383 BAM 4,003

$1,211 COP 4.3M

96.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,064 BAM 1,788

$512 COP 1.8M

107.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.8

13.43

-71.71%

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

Last update for Sarajevo: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Sarajevo versus $476 in Medellin. 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 108% higher in Sarajevo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Sarajevo versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $188 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Sarajevo vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sarajevo is pricier by about 19%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,808 per month in Sarajevo and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $36.00 in Sarajevo and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,206 in Sarajevo and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Sarajevo at $1,206. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sarajevo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sarajevo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.