Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasov and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasov and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,356 in Brasov versus $1,716 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,217 in Brasov versus $2,527 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,078 in Brasov versus $3,338 in Medellin.

Living in Brasov costs roughly 21% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Brasov is 1% below, Medellin is 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.13 RON 55.0

$8.03 COP 25.3K

51.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.7 RON 252

$48.26 COP 152.0K

15.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.85 RON 35.58

$9.77 COP 30.8K

-19.65%

Cappuccino

$3.85 RON 17.44

$2.91 COP 9,167

32.30%

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

$2.58 RON 11.71

$1.94 COP 6,122

32.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 RON 10.65

$1.52 COP 4,792

54.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 RON 14.63

$3.09 COP 9,740

4.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 RON 16.06

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-38.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 RON 7.13

$1.36 COP 4,296

15.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 RON 6.74

$2.39 COP 7,519

-37.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 RON 8.10

$1.70 COP 5,356

4.71%

Eggs

$3.55 RON 16.10

$2.87 COP 9,038

23.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 RON 41.63

$9.94 COP 31.3K

-7.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.13 RON 32.35

$10.78 COP 34.0K

-33.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.44 RON 60.9

$14.73 COP 46.4K

-8.76%

Apples (1kg)

$1.59 RON 7.21

$4.09 COP 12.9K

-61.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 RON 7.41

$1.57 COP 4,950

3.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 RON 7.52

$2.13 COP 6,695

-22.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.86 RON 12.98

$2.21 COP 6,972

29.41%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 RON 3.84

$2.05 COP 6,447

-58.54%

Onion (1kg)

$0.88 RON 3.97

$1.50 COP 4,737

-41.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 RON 3.97

$1.19 COP 3,747

-26.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 RON 3.54

$1.16 COP 3,647

-32.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.53 RON 29.59

$3.90 COP 12.3K

67.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.86 RON 35.63

$14.44 COP 45.5K

-45.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 RON 5.92

$1.58 COP 4,987

-17.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 RON 8.54

$2.83 COP 8,905

-33.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 RON 4.89

$1.17 COP 3,679

-7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.95 RON 109

$77.7 COP 244.8K

-69.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 RON 2.98

$1.28 COP 4,045

-48.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 RON 3.18

$2.09 COP 6,589

-66.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.81 RON 30.87

$8.62 COP 27.1K

-21.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 RON 8.69

$1.30 COP 4,088

47.69%

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

$29.5K RON 134.0K

$27.7K COP 87.1M

6.81%

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

$27.3K RON 124.0K

$35.5K COP 111.8M

-23.03%

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

$187 RON 848

$176 COP 554.5K

6.24%

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

$8.12 RON 36.84

$13.37 COP 42.1K

-39.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.71 RON 44.04

$29.89 COP 94.1K

-67.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 RON 274

$44.76 COP 141.0K

35.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.51 RON 65.8

$17.06 COP 53.7K

-14.95%

Cinema Ticket

$9.78 RON 44.38

$6.20 COP 19.5K

57.74%

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

$466 RON 2,115

$793 COP 2.5M

-41.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,246 RON 32.9K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

-19.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.2 RON 250

$85.6 COP 269.6K

-35.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.49 RON 170

$58.5 COP 184.1K

-35.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 RON 360

$136 COP 429.3K

-41.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.4 RON 433

$103 COP 324.7K

-7.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$726 RON 3,293

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-31.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 RON 2,191

$680 COP 2.1M

-28.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,358 RON 6,157

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-32.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,087 RON 4,929

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-6.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,208 RON 14.5K

$4,111 COP 12.9M

-21.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,472 RON 11.2K

$1,701 COP 5.4M

45.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,156 RON 5,242

$665 COP 2.1M

73.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

10.94

-34.19%

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

Last update for Brasov: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $726 in Brasov and $1,060 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasov pays 74% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $56.0 in Brasov vs $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $237 vs $303, with Brasov cheaper for home cooking.

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

Brasov vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasov and Medellin differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($1,356 vs $1,716 including rent). Brasov is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 74% higher in Brasov, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $726 in Brasov versus $1,060 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Brasov – a meal for two runs $56.0 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,356 per month in Brasov versus $1,716 in Medellin – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,356 in Brasov versus $1,716 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Brasov but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Brasov the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Brasov and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Brasov gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.