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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,241 per month in Sarajevo vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,920 per month in Sarajevo vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,598 per month in Sarajevo vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Sarajevo is about 24% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Sarajevo sits 10% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.74 BAM 14.73

$8.04 COP 24.8K

8.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.93 BAM 69.0

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-15.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.77 BAM 14.77

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-6.90%

Cappuccino

$2.36 BAM 3.98

$2.94 COP 9,040

-19.73%

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

$2.25 BAM 3.79

$1.86 COP 5,735

20.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 BAM 2.58

$1.46 COP 4,479

4.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 BAM 5.03

$3.21 COP 9,882

-7.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 BAM 4.93

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-48.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 BAM 2.05

$1.44 COP 4,428

-15.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 BAM 2.08

$2.40 COP 7,389

-48.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.29 BAM 3.86

$1.70 COP 5,228

34.71%

Eggs

$3.28 BAM 5.53

$2.89 COP 8,896

13.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.06 BAM 18.64

$10.06 COP 30.9K

9.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 BAM 13.42

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-20.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.17 BAM 25.56

$14.20 COP 43.7K

6.83%

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 BAM 2.64

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-60.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 BAM 2.97

$1.58 COP 4,878

11.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 BAM 3.12

$2.15 COP 6,624

-13.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 BAM 3.55

$2.30 COP 7,078

-8.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 BAM 1.68

$2.00 COP 6,169

-50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 BAM 2.06

$1.51 COP 4,646

-18.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 BAM 1.94

$1.20 COP 3,701

-4.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 BAM 1.20

$1.28 COP 3,946

-44.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 BAM 6.83

$3.84 COP 11.8K

5.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.39 BAM 14.14

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-40.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 BAM 1.55

$1.71 COP 5,256

-46.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 BAM 2.61

$2.74 COP 8,440

-43.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 BAM 2.16

$1.25 COP 3,834

2.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.13 BAM 60.9

$77.9 COP 239.7K

-53.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 BAM 2.46

$1.31 COP 4,016

11.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 BAM 2.04

$2.17 COP 6,680

-44.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.17 BAM 15.44

$8.29 COP 25.5K

10.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 BAM 2.88

$1.36 COP 4,172

25.74%

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

$31.1K BAM 52.4K

$27.5K COP 84.5M

13.14%

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

$24.5K BAM 41.3K

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-32.99%

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

$226 BAM 381

$169 COP 519.2K

34.01%

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

$14.70 BAM 24.77

$13.57 COP 41.8K

8.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.66 BAM 48.29

$28.32 COP 87.2K

1.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.96 BAM 70.7

$45.71 COP 140.7K

-8.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.15 BAM 33.96

$17.22 COP 53.0K

17.02%

Cinema Ticket

$6.92 BAM 11.66

$6.65 COP 20.5K

4.06%

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

$218 BAM 368

$803 COP 2.5M

-72.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,055 BAM 6,833

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-55.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.7 BAM 154

$87.4 COP 268.8K

4.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.97 BAM 65.7

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-34.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 BAM 160

$139 COP 427.5K

-31.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 BAM 175

$102 COP 314.0K

1.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 BAM 787

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-56.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$328 BAM 553

$653 COP 2.0M

-49.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 BAM 1,825

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-43.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$600 BAM 1,011

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-42.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,438 BAM 5,793

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-16.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,422 BAM 4,081

$1,697 COP 5.2M

42.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,085 BAM 1,829

$655 COP 2.0M

65.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

10.94

-62.71%

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

Last update for Sarajevo: September 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $467 in Sarajevo versus $1,071 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 66% higher in Sarajevo, 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 $41.00 in Sarajevo versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $245 vs $300 – making Sarajevo 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 – Medellin is pricier by about 32%, 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 $1,862 per month in Sarajevo and $2,462 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sarajevo, 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 $41.00 in Sarajevo and $48.00 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 $1,241 in Sarajevo and $1,641 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sarajevo, where all-in costs run around $1,241, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Sarajevo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sarajevo – 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 Sarajevo. 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.