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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,176 per month in Sarajevo vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,784 per month in Sarajevo vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,393 per month in Sarajevo vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Sarajevo costs about 14% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sarajevo and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Sarajevo 12% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.14 BAM 12.22

$6.16 COP 20.1K

15.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.96 BAM 61.6

$32.60 COP 106.1K

10.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.80 BAM 15.07

$7.34 COP 23.9K

19.89%

Cappuccino

$2.07 BAM 3.55

$1.72 COP 5,599

20.35%

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

$2.02 BAM 3.46

$1.05 COP 3,420

92.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 BAM 2.38

$0.77 COP 2,515

80.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 BAM 4.67

$1.69 COP 5,487

61.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 BAM 4.10

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-24.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 BAM 2.41

$1.05 COP 3,423

34.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 BAM 2.08

$1.30 COP 4,236

-6.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 BAM 3.50

$1.40 COP 4,544

45.71%

Eggs

$3.25 BAM 5.57

$2.16 COP 7,046

50.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.46 BAM 17.92

$4.39 COP 14.3K

138.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.84 BAM 15.14

$5.88 COP 19.1K

50.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.24 BAM 22.67

$8.64 COP 28.1K

53.24%

Apples (1kg)

$1.55 BAM 2.65

$2.28 COP 7,425

-32.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 BAM 3.18

$1.11 COP 3,603

67.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 BAM 3.55

$1.53 COP 4,982

35.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 BAM 3.95

$1.35 COP 4,410

70.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 BAM 1.92

$1.13 COP 3,674

-0.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 BAM 2.08

$1.13 COP 3,692

7.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 BAM 2.18

$0.85 COP 2,753

49.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 BAM 1.38

$0.91 COP 2,975

-10.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.77 BAM 6.45

$2.34 COP 7,629

61.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.00 BAM 13.70

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-35.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 BAM 1.80

$1.20 COP 3,909

-12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 BAM 2.19

$2.49 COP 8,104

-48.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 BAM 1.77

$0.84 COP 2,727

22.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.73 BAM 54.4

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-21.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 BAM 2.56

$1.42 COP 4,623

4.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 BAM 1.32

$1.92 COP 6,235

-59.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.63 BAM 14.78

$7.66 COP 24.9K

12.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 BAM 2.55

$0.99 COP 3,223

50.51%

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

$26.6K BAM 45.5K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

47.44%

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

$25.8K BAM 44.3K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-2.94%

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

$202 BAM 346

$80.8 COP 263.1K

150.03%

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

$19.03 BAM 32.60

$9.95 COP 32.4K

91.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.94 BAM 56.4

$24.18 COP 78.7K

36.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.14 BAM 60.2

$25.08 COP 81.6K

40.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.26 BAM 27.85

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-15.09%

Cinema Ticket

$7.20 BAM 12.33

$3.98 COP 13.0K

80.90%

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

$258 BAM 442

$305 COP 993.4K

-15.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,394 BAM 5,813

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-43.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.6 BAM 157

$58.1 COP 189.2K

57.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.77 BAM 64.7

$32.20 COP 104.8K

17.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 BAM 184

$101 COP 327.9K

6.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 BAM 172

$108 COP 350.8K

-6.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$436 BAM 747

$477 COP 1.6M

-8.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$303 BAM 519

$376 COP 1.2M

-19.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$892 BAM 1,527

$845 COP 2.7M

5.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$580 BAM 994

$730 COP 2.4M

-20.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,245 BAM 5,559

$3,215 COP 10.5M

0.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,315 BAM 3,965

$1,372 COP 4.5M

68.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,042 BAM 1,784

$617 COP 2.0M

68.86%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $436 in Sarajevo versus $477 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 69% 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 $193 – 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 14%, 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 $1,764 per month in Sarajevo and $1,546 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 $1,176 in Sarajevo and $1,031 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 $1,031, than in Sarajevo at $1,176. 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.