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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,007 per month in Calarasi vs $1,028 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,502 per month in Calarasi vs $1,586 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,996 per month in Calarasi vs $2,144 in Medellin, rent included.

Calarasi is about 2% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Calarasi and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Calarasi 24% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.04 RON 45.20

$6.00 COP 20.6K

67.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.75 RON 125

$32.84 COP 112.5K

-15.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 RON 35.43

$7.42 COP 25.4K

6.06%

Cappuccino

$2.69 RON 12.11

$1.65 COP 5,659

63.03%

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

$1.54 RON 6.92

$1.07 COP 3,663

43.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 RON 8.49

$0.76 COP 2,607

147.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 RON 10.12

$1.72 COP 5,908

30.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 RON 15.16

$3.20 COP 11.0K

5.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 RON 6.03

$1.05 COP 3,597

27.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 RON 4.75

$1.31 COP 4,479

-19.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 RON 7.95

$1.34 COP 4,591

32.09%

Eggs

$3.28 RON 14.79

$2.19 COP 7,521

49.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.96 RON 40.33

$4.41 COP 15.1K

103.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.92 RON 31.17

$5.69 COP 19.5K

21.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.00 RON 40.55

$8.52 COP 29.2K

5.63%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 RON 5.23

$2.34 COP 8,023

-50.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 RON 6.39

$1.11 COP 3,804

27.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 RON 5.95

$1.52 COP 5,210

-13.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 RON 8.82

$1.37 COP 4,680

43.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 RON 3.67

$1.15 COP 3,950

-28.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 RON 4.05

$1.18 COP 4,043

-23.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 RON 3.22

$0.84 COP 2,885

-15.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 RON 3.68

$0.86 COP 2,931

-4.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.80 RON 26.13

$2.26 COP 7,753

156.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.38 RON 19.75

$11.60 COP 39.8K

-62.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 RON 4.15

$1.20 COP 4,109

-23.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 RON 6.12

$2.48 COP 8,484

-45.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 RON 2.01

$0.79 COP 2,721

-43.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.85 RON 62.4

$40.83 COP 139.9K

-66.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 RON 3.23

$1.47 COP 5,023

-51.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 RON 2.75

$1.92 COP 6,568

-68.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.79 RON 26.06

$7.77 COP 26.6K

-25.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 RON 7.19

$1.01 COP 3,464

58.42%

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

$25.4K RON 114.4K

$17.7K COP 60.5M

43.81%

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

$27.7K RON 124.6K

$26.5K COP 90.7M

4.59%

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

$147 RON 663

$81.1 COP 277.9K

81.41%

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

$8.32 RON 37.47

$9.43 COP 32.3K

-11.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.61 RON 34.27

$23.86 COP 81.8K

-68.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.5 RON 313

$25.99 COP 89.1K

167.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.85 RON 84.9

$18.71 COP 64.1K

0.75%

Cinema Ticket

$6.16 RON 27.74

$4.09 COP 14.0K

50.61%

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

$419 RON 1,889

$315 COP 1.1M

33.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,063 RON 31.8K

$6,022 COP 20.6M

17.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.4 RON 375

$59.7 COP 204.6K

39.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.55 RON 192

$31.97 COP 109.6K

33.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.4 RON 335

$101 COP 346.9K

-26.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 RON 435

$105 COP 360.3K

-8.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$382 RON 1,719

$485 COP 1.7M

-21.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$230 RON 1,036

$365 COP 1.3M

-37.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$593 RON 2,669

$827 COP 2.8M

-28.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 RON 1,670

$730 COP 2.5M

-49.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,231 RON 5,543

$2,992 COP 10.3M

-58.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$984 RON 4,431

$1,314 COP 4.5M

-25.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$772 RON 3,476

$551 COP 1.9M

40.14%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $382 in Calarasi versus $485 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 40% 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 – $195 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: $1,007 in Calarasi, $1,028 in Medellin – roughly 2% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,510 per month in Calarasi and $1,542 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 $419 per month in Calarasi and $315 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% 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 $1,007, than in Medellin at $1,028. 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 $1,007 in Calarasi to $1,028 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.