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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $988 per month in Bacau vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,668 per month in Bacau vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,348 per month in Bacau vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Bacau is about 42% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Bacau sits 28% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.21 RON 55.1

$8.03 COP 25.0K

52.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.8 RON 401

$48.26 COP 150.6K

83.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.61 RON 38.89

$9.77 COP 30.5K

-11.87%

Cappuccino

$2.04 RON 9.22

$2.91 COP 9,085

-29.90%

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

$2.05 RON 9.24

$1.94 COP 6,067

5.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 RON 8.67

$1.52 COP 4,749

26.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.69 RON 12.15

$3.09 COP 9,653

-12.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 RON 15.13

$5.74 COP 17.9K

-41.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.48

$1.36 COP 4,257

22.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 RON 5.60

$2.39 COP 7,452

-48.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.32

$1.70 COP 5,308

-4.71%

Eggs

$3.28 RON 14.79

$2.87 COP 8,957

14.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.30 RON 37.49

$9.94 COP 31.0K

-16.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.70 RON 25.73

$10.78 COP 33.7K

-47.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.72 RON 43.87

$14.73 COP 46.0K

-34.01%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 RON 5.42

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-70.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 RON 6.83

$1.57 COP 4,906

-3.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 RON 6.82

$2.13 COP 6,635

-29.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 RON 9.53

$2.21 COP 6,910

-4.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 RON 3.18

$2.05 COP 6,389

-65.85%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 RON 3.11

$1.50 COP 4,695

-54.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 RON 3.23

$1.19 COP 3,714

-39.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 RON 3.59

$1.16 COP 3,615

-31.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.51 RON 24.86

$3.90 COP 12.2K

41.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.44 RON 29.07

$14.44 COP 45.1K

-55.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 RON 4.66

$1.58 COP 4,943

-34.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 RON 6.67

$2.83 COP 8,826

-47.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 RON 3.54

$1.17 COP 3,646

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.36 RON 142

$77.7 COP 242.6K

-59.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 RON 2.89

$1.28 COP 4,009

-50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 RON 3.04

$2.09 COP 6,530

-67.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.48 RON 29.24

$8.62 COP 26.9K

-24.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 RON 8.58

$1.30 COP 4,052

46.15%

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

$29.8K RON 134.5K

$27.7K COP 86.3M

7.74%

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

$26.0K RON 117.5K

$35.5K COP 110.8M

-26.72%

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

$111 RON 503

$176 COP 549.6K

-36.71%

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

$11.43 RON 51.6

$13.37 COP 41.7K

-14.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.10 RON 23.03

$29.89 COP 93.3K

-82.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.34 RON 123

$44.76 COP 139.7K

-38.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.90 RON 76.3

$17.06 COP 53.3K

-0.94%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 RON 40.03

$6.20 COP 19.4K

43.06%

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

$422 RON 1,906

$793 COP 2.5M

-46.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,096 RON 27.5K

$9,019 COP 28.2M

-32.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.4 RON 341

$85.6 COP 267.2K

-11.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.12 RON 204

$58.5 COP 182.5K

-22.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.6 RON 436

$136 COP 425.4K

-29.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.8 RON 451

$103 COP 321.8K

-3.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$418 RON 1,887

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-60.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$253 RON 1,141

$680 COP 2.1M

-62.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 RON 2,594

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-71.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 RON 1,885

$1,169 COP 3.6M

-64.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,907 RON 8,610

$4,111 COP 12.8M

-53.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,253 RON 5,658

$1,701 COP 5.3M

-26.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,010 RON 4,560

$665 COP 2.1M

51.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.97

10.94

-36.29%

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

Last update for Bacau: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $418 in Bacau versus $1,060 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 52% 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 $89.0 in Bacau versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $200 in Bacau vs $303 in Medellin – so Bacau 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

Bacau vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 74%, 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 $1,482 per month in Bacau and $2,574 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 $89.0 in Bacau 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 $988 in Bacau and $1,716 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 $988, than in Medellin at $1,716. 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.