Cost of Living Comparison Between Iasi and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Iasi and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Iasi vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,944 per month in Iasi vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,601 per month in Iasi vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Iasi is about 22% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Iasi sits 7% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.18 RON 50.6

$8.04 COP 24.8K

39.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.31 RON 201

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-8.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 RON 35.52

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-16.77%

Cappuccino

$2.97 RON 13.45

$2.94 COP 9,040

1.02%

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

$2.21 RON 10.02

$1.86 COP 5,735

18.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 RON 8.66

$1.46 COP 4,479

30.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 RON 15.30

$3.21 COP 9,882

5.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 RON 17.65

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-31.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 RON 7.55

$1.44 COP 4,428

15.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 RON 6.26

$2.40 COP 7,389

-42.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 RON 9.29

$1.70 COP 5,228

20.59%

Eggs

$3.52 RON 15.94

$2.89 COP 8,896

21.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.36 RON 37.88

$10.06 COP 30.9K

-16.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.64 RON 30.08

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-33.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.43 RON 47.22

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-26.55%

Apples (1kg)

$1.45 RON 6.58

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-63.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.72

$1.58 COP 4,878

8.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 RON 8.06

$2.15 COP 6,624

-17.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 RON 10.25

$2.30 COP 7,078

-1.74%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 RON 4.00

$2.00 COP 6,169

-56.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 RON 4.07

$1.51 COP 4,646

-40.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 RON 5.51

$1.20 COP 3,701

1.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 RON 4.58

$1.28 COP 3,946

-21.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 RON 30.90

$3.84 COP 11.8K

77.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.51 RON 29.47

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-53.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 RON 6.33

$1.71 COP 5,256

-18.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 RON 10.05

$2.74 COP 8,440

-18.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 RON 3.84

$1.25 COP 3,834

-32.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.56 RON 129

$77.9 COP 239.7K

-63.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 RON 4.20

$1.31 COP 4,016

-29.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 RON 4.14

$2.17 COP 6,680

-57.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 RON 39.44

$8.29 COP 25.5K

5.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 RON 8.35

$1.36 COP 4,172

35.29%

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

$30.0K RON 135.7K

$27.5K COP 84.5M

9.03%

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

$28.6K RON 129.6K

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-21.69%

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

$191 RON 865

$169 COP 519.2K

13.21%

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

$7.82 RON 35.41

$13.57 COP 41.8K

-42.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.07 RON 41.07

$28.32 COP 87.2K

-67.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.91 RON 212

$45.71 COP 140.7K

2.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.58 RON 75.1

$17.22 COP 53.0K

-3.72%

Cinema Ticket

$8.78 RON 39.77

$6.65 COP 20.5K

32.03%

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

$414 RON 1,874

$803 COP 2.5M

-48.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,254 RON 32.8K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-21.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.3 RON 337

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-14.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.27 RON 182

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-32.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.5 RON 428

$139 COP 427.5K

-31.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.1 RON 435

$102 COP 314.0K

-5.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$558 RON 2,525

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-47.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 RON 2,031

$653 COP 2.0M

-31.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$932 RON 4,222

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-51.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 RON 3,135

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-33.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,998 RON 13.6K

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-27.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,996 RON 9,041

$1,697 COP 5.2M

17.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,203 RON 5,450

$655 COP 2.0M

83.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.18

10.94

-34.37%

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

Last update for Iasi: September 5, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $558 in Iasi versus $1,071 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 84% higher in Iasi, 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 $44.00 in Iasi versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $224 vs $300 – making Iasi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Iasi vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,287 in Iasi, $1,641 in Medellin – roughly 27% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,931 per month in Iasi and $2,462 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 173% less in Iasi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $414 per month in Iasi and $803 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Iasi, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Iasi 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 $1,287 in Iasi to $1,641 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 Iasi. 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.