Cost of Living Comparison Between Calarasi and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Calarasi and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,006 per month in Calarasi vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,518 per month in Calarasi vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,030 per month in Calarasi vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Calarasi is about 3% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Calarasi and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Calarasi 25% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.06 RON 43.74

$5.92 COP 21.5K

69.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.69 RON 120

$32.75 COP 119.1K

-15.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 RON 33.26

$7.20 COP 26.2K

6.25%

Cappuccino

$2.68 RON 11.66

$1.70 COP 6,186

57.65%

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

$1.48 RON 6.44

$1.10 COP 3,996

34.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 RON 8.13

$0.72 COP 2,625

159.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 RON 9.72

$1.67 COP 6,067

33.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 RON 14.72

$3.10 COP 11.3K

9.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 RON 6.17

$1.06 COP 3,837

33.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 RON 4.78

$1.25 COP 4,531

-12.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 RON 7.66

$1.39 COP 5,060

26.62%

Eggs

$3.29 RON 14.31

$2.26 COP 8,229

45.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.95 RON 38.92

$4.33 COP 15.8K

106.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.10 RON 30.88

$5.84 COP 21.2K

21.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.08 RON 39.51

$8.83 COP 32.1K

2.83%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 RON 5.07

$2.24 COP 8,159

-48.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 RON 6.44

$1.08 COP 3,911

37.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 RON 5.81

$1.53 COP 5,563

-13.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.88 RON 8.20

$1.37 COP 4,987

37.23%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 RON 3.26

$1.13 COP 4,109

-33.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.88 RON 3.85

$1.12 COP 4,067

-21.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 RON 3.08

$0.85 COP 3,080

-16.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 RON 3.70

$0.91 COP 3,305

-6.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.63 RON 24.50

$2.33 COP 8,477

141.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.49 RON 19.51

$11.13 COP 40.5K

-59.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 RON 4.29

$1.19 COP 4,342

-16.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 RON 5.91

$2.37 COP 8,617

-42.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 RON 2.07

$0.79 COP 2,859

-39.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.08 RON 61.3

$41.13 COP 149.6K

-65.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 RON 2.90

$1.44 COP 5,223

-53.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 RON 2.68

$1.91 COP 6,952

-67.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.79 RON 25.18

$8.02 COP 29.2K

-27.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 RON 6.91

$0.94 COP 3,410

69.15%

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

$24.9K RON 108.3K

$17.9K COP 65.2M

38.95%

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

$26.8K RON 116.6K

$26.8K COP 97.4M

0.07%

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

$149 RON 648

$84.0 COP 305.4K

77.38%

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

$8.35 RON 36.33

$9.60 COP 34.9K

-13.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.52 RON 32.70

$24.16 COP 87.9K

-68.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.7 RON 303

$25.88 COP 94.1K

169.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 RON 84.5

$19.04 COP 69.3K

2.05%

Cinema Ticket

$5.85 RON 25.44

$3.92 COP 14.2K

49.23%

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

$432 RON 1,879

$306 COP 1.1M

40.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,852 RON 29.8K

$5,919 COP 21.5M

15.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.0 RON 365

$57.9 COP 210.6K

44.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.91 RON 187

$31.82 COP 115.7K

34.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.6 RON 320

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-26.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.5 RON 424

$107 COP 389.7K

-8.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$389 RON 1,692

$487 COP 1.8M

-20.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$229 RON 997

$368 COP 1.3M

-37.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$581 RON 2,527

$826 COP 3.0M

-29.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 RON 1,608

$716 COP 2.6M

-48.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,261 RON 5,484

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-56.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,013 RON 4,408

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-27.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$779 RON 3,387

$546 COP 2.0M

42.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

13.43

-50.71%

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

Last update for Calarasi: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $389 in Calarasi versus $487 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 43% higher in Calarasi, 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 $28.00 in Calarasi versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $198 in Calarasi vs $190 in Medellin – so Medellin 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

Calarasi vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,006 in Calarasi, $1,034 in Medellin – roughly 3% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,509 per month in Calarasi and $1,550 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Calarasi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $432 per month in Calarasi and $306 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Calarasi, where all-in costs run around $1,006, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Calarasi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,006 in Calarasi to $1,034 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Calarasi. 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.