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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $905 per month in Bacau vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,462 per month in Bacau vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,019 per month in Bacau vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Bacau is about 12% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Bacau and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Bacau 32% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.74 RON 53.8

$6.16 COP 20.1K

90.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.80 RON 210

$32.60 COP 106.1K

40.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.16 RON 37.40

$7.34 COP 23.9K

11.17%

Cappuccino

$2.30 RON 10.55

$1.72 COP 5,600

33.72%

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

$2.20 RON 10.11

$1.05 COP 3,420

109.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 RON 8.51

$0.77 COP 2,515

141.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 RON 10.64

$1.69 COP 5,488

37.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 RON 16.26

$3.17 COP 10.3K

11.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 RON 6.16

$1.05 COP 3,423

27.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 RON 3.86

$1.30 COP 4,236

-35.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.86

$1.40 COP 4,544

22.14%

Eggs

$3.67 RON 16.82

$2.16 COP 7,047

69.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.33 RON 38.22

$4.39 COP 14.3K

89.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.22 RON 28.51

$5.88 COP 19.1K

5.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.10 RON 41.74

$8.64 COP 28.1K

5.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 RON 5.80

$2.28 COP 7,426

-44.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.43

$1.11 COP 3,604

45.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 RON 7.94

$1.53 COP 4,983

13.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 RON 8.38

$1.35 COP 4,410

35.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 RON 4.27

$1.13 COP 3,674

-17.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.83 RON 3.83

$1.13 COP 3,692

-26.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 RON 3.24

$0.85 COP 2,753

-16.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 RON 3.38

$0.91 COP 2,975

-18.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.85 RON 26.84

$2.34 COP 7,630

150.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.58 RON 30.16

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-46.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 RON 3.98

$1.20 COP 3,909

-27.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 RON 6.14

$2.49 COP 8,104

-46.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 RON 2.89

$0.84 COP 2,728

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.12 RON 147

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-20.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.62 RON 2.85

$1.42 COP 4,623

-56.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 RON 2.95

$1.92 COP 6,235

-66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.44 RON 34.12

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-2.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 RON 7.34

$0.99 COP 3,223

61.62%

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

$28.3K RON 129.6K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

56.80%

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

$26.7K RON 122.3K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

0.12%

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

$116 RON 532

$80.8 COP 263.1K

43.46%

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

$8.53 RON 39.13

$9.95 COP 32.4K

-14.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.26 RON 24.14

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-78.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.94 RON 114

$25.08 COP 81.7K

-0.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.39 RON 107

$19.15 COP 62.3K

22.14%

Cinema Ticket

$6.81 RON 31.22

$3.98 COP 13.0K

71.11%

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

$654 RON 3,001

$305 COP 993.5K

114.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,516 RON 25.3K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-8.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.4 RON 415

$58.1 COP 189.2K

55.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.38 RON 162

$32.20 COP 104.8K

9.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.7 RON 292

$101 COP 327.9K

-36.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.0 RON 454

$108 COP 350.8K

-8.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$325 RON 1,492

$477 COP 1.6M

-31.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 RON 839

$376 COP 1.2M

-51.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$501 RON 2,299

$845 COP 2.7M

-40.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 RON 1,677

$730 COP 2.4M

-49.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,828 RON 8,382

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-43.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,217 RON 5,581

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-11.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,022 RON 4,687

$617 COP 2.0M

65.68%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $325 in Bacau 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 66% 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: $195 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

Bacau vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 14%, 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 $1,357 per month in Bacau 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 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 $905 in Bacau 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 Bacau, where all-in costs run around $905, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.