Cost of Living Comparison Between Bacau and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Bacau and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $912 per month in Bacau vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,474 per month in Bacau vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,037 per month in Bacau vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Bacau is about 10% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Bacau and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Bacau 32% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 RON 52.5

$5.99 COP 21.4K

93.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.83 RON 207

$32.86 COP 117.4K

39.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.27 RON 37.38

$7.09 COP 25.3K

16.64%

Cappuccino

$2.32 RON 10.47

$1.71 COP 6,115

35.67%

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

$2.18 RON 9.85

$1.10 COP 3,924

98.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 RON 8.28

$0.78 COP 2,781

134.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 RON 10.24

$1.68 COP 5,997

34.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 RON 16.45

$3.07 COP 11.0K

18.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 RON 6.20

$1.09 COP 3,906

25.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 RON 4.03

$1.26 COP 4,508

-29.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.75

$1.38 COP 4,922

24.64%

Eggs

$3.79 RON 17.12

$2.19 COP 7,827

73.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.37 RON 37.84

$4.40 COP 15.7K

90.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.14 RON 27.73

$5.63 COP 20.1K

9.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.44 RON 42.69

$8.89 COP 31.8K

6.19%

Apples (1kg)

$1.25 RON 5.66

$2.34 COP 8,349

-46.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 RON 7.10

$1.06 COP 3,777

48.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 RON 7.85

$1.50 COP 5,374

16.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.70

$1.38 COP 4,924

39.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 RON 4.09

$1.15 COP 4,111

-21.74%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 RON 3.81

$1.16 COP 4,155

-27.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 RON 3.03

$0.89 COP 3,182

-24.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 RON 3.55

$0.84 COP 2,997

-5.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.69 RON 25.71

$2.28 COP 8,145

149.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.72 RON 30.37

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-36.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 RON 3.97

$1.20 COP 4,284

-26.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 RON 6.07

$2.47 COP 8,824

-45.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 RON 2.85

$0.86 COP 3,056

-26.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.81 RON 144

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-23.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 RON 2.77

$1.47 COP 5,264

-58.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 RON 2.71

$1.96 COP 7,009

-69.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.71 RON 34.85

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-0.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 RON 7.14

$0.95 COP 3,409

66.32%

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

$28.1K RON 127.1K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

55.07%

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

$26.8K RON 121.0K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

1.07%

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

$114 RON 516

$82.3 COP 293.7K

38.66%

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

$8.19 RON 37.03

$9.50 COP 33.9K

-13.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.23 RON 23.62

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-78.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.17 RON 114

$25.89 COP 92.4K

-2.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.37 RON 106

$19.00 COP 67.9K

23.00%

Cinema Ticket

$6.77 RON 30.61

$3.93 COP 14.0K

72.26%

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

$654 RON 2,958

$309 COP 1.1M

111.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,513 RON 24.9K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-7.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.4 RON 409

$58.7 COP 209.5K

54.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.64 RON 161

$32.35 COP 115.5K

10.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.4 RON 282

$103 COP 366.4K

-39.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.2 RON 444

$108 COP 387.2K

-9.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$321 RON 1,449

$476 COP 1.7M

-32.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$187 RON 844

$379 COP 1.4M

-50.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$507 RON 2,290

$838 COP 3.0M

-39.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 RON 1,662

$724 COP 2.6M

-49.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,893 RON 8,559

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-32.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,242 RON 5,612

$1,211 COP 4.3M

2.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,020 RON 4,609

$512 COP 1.8M

99.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

13.43

-51.60%

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

Last update for Bacau: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $321 in Bacau 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 99% higher in Bacau, 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 $46.00 in Bacau versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $198 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

Bacau vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 11%, 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 $1,368 per month in Bacau 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 Bacau, 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 $46.00 in Bacau 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 $912 in Bacau 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 Bacau, where all-in costs run around $912, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Bacau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bacau – 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 Bacau. 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.