Cost of Living Comparison Between Craiova and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Craiova and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,109 in Craiova versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,650 in Craiova versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,191 in Craiova versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Craiova is roughly 11% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Craiova 17% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.38 RON 42.65

$5.91 COP 18.6K

58.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.95 RON 209

$32.96 COP 103.8K

39.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.96 RON 36.18

$7.43 COP 23.4K

7.13%

Cappuccino

$2.49 RON 11.31

$1.65 COP 5,207

50.91%

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

$2.10 RON 9.54

$1.10 COP 3,468

90.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 RON 8.75

$0.78 COP 2,458

146.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 RON 10.21

$1.72 COP 5,412

30.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 RON 15.23

$3.18 COP 10.0K

5.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 RON 7.09

$1.10 COP 3,474

41.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 RON 4.54

$1.26 COP 3,962

-20.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.77

$1.38 COP 4,349

23.91%

Eggs

$3.23 RON 14.66

$2.18 COP 6,858

48.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.72 RON 35.11

$4.49 COP 14.1K

71.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 RON 29.47

$5.79 COP 18.2K

11.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.81 RON 44.59

$8.97 COP 28.2K

9.36%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.61

$2.32 COP 7,308

-46.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 RON 7.73

$1.06 COP 3,352

60.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 RON 7.27

$1.52 COP 4,774

5.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 RON 8.36

$1.36 COP 4,270

35.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 RON 4.88

$1.13 COP 3,552

-5.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 RON 5.17

$1.17 COP 3,689

-2.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 RON 3.64

$0.90 COP 2,838

-11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 RON 3.65

$0.90 COP 2,823

-11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.88 RON 26.74

$2.23 COP 7,034

163.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.34 RON 28.81

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-47.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 RON 5.91

$1.19 COP 3,743

9.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 RON 10.24

$2.48 COP 7,815

-9.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 RON 3.28

$0.85 COP 2,687

-15.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.02 RON 105

$41.62 COP 131.0K

-44.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 RON 2.54

$1.42 COP 4,459

-60.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 RON 4.04

$1.95 COP 6,141

-54.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 RON 30.69

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-14.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 RON 7.29

$0.99 COP 3,118

61.62%

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

$27.5K RON 124.9K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

56.10%

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

$27.6K RON 125.6K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

3.05%

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

$212 RON 964

$83.0 COP 261.4K

155.51%

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

$8.08 RON 36.73

$9.70 COP 30.5K

-16.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.58 RON 52.6

$23.52 COP 74.1K

-50.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.03 RON 168

$25.26 COP 79.5K

46.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.97 RON 86.2

$19.10 COP 60.1K

-0.68%

Cinema Ticket

$6.54 RON 29.76

$3.95 COP 12.4K

65.57%

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

$434 RON 1,971

$316 COP 994.2K

37.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,856 RON 40.3K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

48.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.5 RON 357

$60.0 COP 188.9K

30.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.91 RON 172

$31.82 COP 100.2K

19.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 RON 353

$102 COP 320.1K

-23.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.8 RON 394

$107 COP 338.3K

-19.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$386 RON 1,756

$475 COP 1.5M

-18.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$317 RON 1,439

$374 COP 1.2M

-15.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$706 RON 3,209

$849 COP 2.7M

-16.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$436 RON 1,980

$719 COP 2.3M

-39.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,735 RON 12.4K

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-16.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,998 RON 9,082

$1,441 COP 4.5M

38.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$945 RON 4,297

$624 COP 2.0M

51.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.28

13.43

-53.24%

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

Last update for Craiova: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $386 in Craiova and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Craiova pays 51% 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: $46.00 in Craiova vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $204 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

Craiova vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Craiova. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 51% higher in Craiova, 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: $386 in Craiova versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,109 per month in Craiova versus $1,003 in Medellin – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 81% less than in Craiova. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,109 in Craiova, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Craiova. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,003 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Craiova 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 11% less than in Craiova. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.