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: $1,254 in Brasov versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,956 in Brasov versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,657 in Brasov versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Brasov is roughly 22% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasov 6% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.42 RON 57.0

$6.16 COP 20.1K

101.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.8 RON 233

$32.60 COP 106.1K

55.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.07 RON 37.03

$7.34 COP 23.9K

9.95%

Cappuccino

$3.58 RON 16.40

$1.72 COP 5,600

108.14%

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

$1.90 RON 8.73

$1.05 COP 3,420

80.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 RON 9.24

$0.77 COP 2,515

161.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 RON 14.91

$1.69 COP 5,488

92.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 RON 15.67

$3.17 COP 10.3K

7.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 RON 7.07

$1.05 COP 3,423

46.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 RON 5.92

$1.30 COP 4,236

-0.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 RON 8.32

$1.40 COP 4,544

29.29%

Eggs

$3.36 RON 15.41

$2.16 COP 7,047

55.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.83 RON 40.47

$4.39 COP 14.3K

101.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.03 RON 32.24

$5.88 COP 19.1K

19.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.75 RON 53.9

$8.64 COP 28.1K

36.00%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 RON 5.25

$2.28 COP 7,426

-50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 RON 7.60

$1.11 COP 3,604

49.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 RON 7.11

$1.53 COP 4,983

1.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.49 RON 11.40

$1.35 COP 4,410

84.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.33

$1.13 COP 3,674

-16.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 RON 4.88

$1.13 COP 3,692

-6.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 RON 4.02

$0.85 COP 2,753

3.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 RON 3.64

$0.91 COP 2,975

-13.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.85 RON 26.82

$2.34 COP 7,630

150.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.84 RON 35.94

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-36.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 RON 5.08

$1.20 COP 3,909

-7.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 RON 7.85

$2.49 COP 8,104

-31.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 RON 4.16

$0.84 COP 2,728

8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 RON 85.7

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-53.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 RON 3.53

$1.42 COP 4,623

-45.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 RON 2.76

$1.92 COP 6,235

-68.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.78 RON 31.11

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-11.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 RON 7.36

$0.99 COP 3,223

62.63%

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

$28.1K RON 128.9K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

55.86%

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

$27.5K RON 126.2K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

3.35%

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

$165 RON 757

$80.8 COP 263.1K

104.37%

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

$8.19 RON 37.54

$9.95 COP 32.4K

-17.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.83 RON 40.49

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-63.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.0 RON 275

$25.08 COP 81.7K

139.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.81 RON 72.5

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-17.44%

Cinema Ticket

$10.79 RON 49.49

$3.98 COP 13.0K

171.11%

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

$447 RON 2,051

$305 COP 993.5K

46.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,652 RON 30.5K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

9.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.0 RON 312

$58.1 COP 189.2K

16.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.68 RON 196

$32.20 COP 104.8K

32.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.6 RON 439

$101 COP 327.9K

-5.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.3 RON 451

$108 COP 350.8K

-8.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 RON 2,870

$477 COP 1.6M

31.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$428 RON 1,962

$376 COP 1.2M

13.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,029 RON 4,720

$845 COP 2.7M

21.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$699 RON 3,205

$730 COP 2.4M

-4.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,177 RON 14.6K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-1.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,402 RON 11.0K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

75.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,127 RON 5,171

$617 COP 2.0M

82.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.7

13.43

-42.67%

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

Last update for Brasov: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Brasov and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasov pays 83% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $51.0 in Brasov vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $223 vs $193 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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 22% in total monthly costs ($1,254 vs $1,031 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 83% 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: $626 in Brasov versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $51.0 in Brasov. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,254 per month in Brasov versus $1,031 in Medellin – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,254 in Brasov, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Brasov. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Brasov. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.