Cost of Living Comparison Between Tesanj and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Tesanj and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $850 per month in Tesanj vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,310 per month in Tesanj vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,769 per month in Tesanj vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Tesanj is about 17% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 BAM 5.91

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-43.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.59 BAM 28.37

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-49.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.89 BAM 4.95

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-60.63%

Cappuccino

$0.92 BAM 1.57

$1.72 COP 5,600

-46.51%

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

$1.43 BAM 2.45

$1.05 COP 3,420

36.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 BAM 1.55

$0.77 COP 2,515

18.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 BAM 3.43

$1.69 COP 5,488

18.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 BAM 2.99

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-44.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 BAM 1.39

$1.05 COP 3,423

-22.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 BAM 1.57

$1.30 COP 4,236

-29.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 BAM 3.93

$1.40 COP 4,544

64.29%

Eggs

$2.89 BAM 4.94

$2.16 COP 7,047

33.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.17 BAM 17.39

$4.39 COP 14.3K

131.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.50 BAM 12.83

$5.88 COP 19.1K

27.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.13 BAM 22.46

$8.64 COP 28.1K

51.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.25 BAM 2.14

$2.28 COP 7,426

-45.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 BAM 2.77

$1.11 COP 3,604

45.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 BAM 3.30

$1.53 COP 4,983

26.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 BAM 2.86

$1.35 COP 4,410

24.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 BAM 1.43

$1.13 COP 3,674

-25.66%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 BAM 1.28

$1.13 COP 3,692

-33.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 BAM 1.57

$0.85 COP 2,753

8.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 BAM 1.74

$0.91 COP 2,975

12.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.61 BAM 6.17

$2.34 COP 7,630

54.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.06 BAM 13.78

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-34.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 BAM 2.08

$1.20 COP 3,909

1.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 BAM 3.36

$2.49 COP 8,104

-21.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.82 BAM 3.12

$0.84 COP 2,728

116.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.82 BAM 61.3

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-11.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 BAM 1.98

$1.42 COP 4,623

-18.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 BAM 0.96

$1.92 COP 6,235

-70.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.47 BAM 17.91

$7.66 COP 24.9K

36.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 BAM 2.54

$0.99 COP 3,223

49.49%

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

$23.1K BAM 39.5K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

28.24%

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

$26.1K BAM 44.6K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-2.02%

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

$124 BAM 212

$80.8 COP 263.1K

53.19%

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

$19.14 BAM 32.74

$9.95 COP 32.4K

92.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.79 BAM 49.24

$24.18 COP 78.7K

19.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.97 BAM 51.3

$25.08 COP 81.7K

19.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.05 BAM 18.90

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-42.30%

Cinema Ticket

$2.97 BAM 5.08

$3.98 COP 13.0K

-25.38%

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

$151 BAM 257

$305 COP 993.5K

-50.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,244 BAM 5,548

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-46.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.3 BAM 120

$58.1 COP 189.2K

20.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.36 BAM 58.8

$32.20 COP 104.8K

6.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.4 BAM 167

$101 COP 327.9K

-3.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 BAM 201

$108 COP 350.8K

8.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$255 BAM 437

$477 COP 1.6M

-46.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$170 BAM 291

$376 COP 1.2M

-54.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$363 BAM 620

$845 COP 2.7M

-57.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 BAM 539

$730 COP 2.4M

-56.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,468 BAM 4,222

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-23.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,816 BAM 3,106

$1,372 COP 4.5M

32.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$687 BAM 1,175

$617 COP 2.0M

11.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

13.43

-69.17%

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

Last update for Tesanj: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $255 in Tesanj 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 11% higher in Tesanj, 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 $17.00 in Tesanj versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $224 in Tesanj vs $193 in Medellin – 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

Tesanj vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 21%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,276 per month in Tesanj 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 Tesanj, 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 $17.00 in Tesanj 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 $850 in Tesanj 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 Tesanj, where all-in costs run around $850, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Tesanj it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tesanj – 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 Tesanj. 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.