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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,137 per month in Iasi vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,720 per month in Iasi vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,303 per month in Iasi vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Iasi costs about 12% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Iasi and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Iasi 15% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.52 RON 47.59

$5.99 COP 21.3K

75.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.4 RON 232

$32.86 COP 116.9K

56.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.73 RON 30.46

$7.09 COP 25.2K

-5.08%

Cappuccino

$2.68 RON 12.13

$1.71 COP 6,093

56.73%

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

$2.08 RON 9.39

$1.10 COP 3,910

89.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 RON 7.88

$0.78 COP 2,771

123.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.46 RON 11.12

$1.68 COP 5,976

46.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 RON 15.47

$3.07 COP 10.9K

11.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 RON 6.33

$1.09 COP 3,892

28.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 RON 5.51

$1.26 COP 4,492

-3.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 RON 8.45

$1.38 COP 4,905

35.51%

Eggs

$3.21 RON 14.51

$2.19 COP 7,799

46.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.95 RON 35.98

$4.40 COP 15.7K

80.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.70 RON 30.32

$5.63 COP 20.0K

19.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 RON 49.71

$8.89 COP 31.6K

23.62%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 RON 5.61

$2.34 COP 8,319

-47.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.33

$1.06 COP 3,764

52.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 RON 7.84

$1.50 COP 5,355

15.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 RON 8.90

$1.38 COP 4,906

42.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 RON 4.48

$1.15 COP 4,097

-13.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.73

$1.16 COP 4,141

-9.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 RON 4.68

$0.89 COP 3,170

16.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 RON 3.89

$0.84 COP 2,986

2.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.37 RON 28.85

$2.28 COP 8,116

179.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.61 RON 29.92

$10.64 COP 37.9K

-37.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 RON 4.95

$1.20 COP 4,268

-9.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 RON 8.96

$2.47 COP 8,793

-19.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 RON 3.84

$0.86 COP 3,045

-1.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.13 RON 123

$41.40 COP 147.3K

-34.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 RON 4.03

$1.47 COP 5,245

-39.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 RON 3.16

$1.96 COP 6,984

-64.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 RON 35.48

$7.74 COP 27.5K

1.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.51

$0.95 COP 3,397

74.74%

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

$28.5K RON 129.2K

$18.1K COP 64.5M

57.40%

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

$27.3K RON 123.7K

$26.5K COP 94.2M

3.22%

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

$156 RON 708

$82.3 COP 292.7K

90.08%

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

$8.47 RON 38.35

$9.50 COP 33.8K

-10.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.21 RON 46.22

$24.23 COP 86.2K

-57.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.10 RON 213

$25.89 COP 92.1K

81.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.25 RON 82.6

$19.00 COP 67.6K

-3.95%

Cinema Ticket

$8.17 RON 36.99

$3.93 COP 14.0K

107.89%

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

$463 RON 2,095

$309 COP 1.1M

49.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,028 RON 31.8K

$5,965 COP 21.2M

17.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 RON 282

$58.7 COP 208.7K

6.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.79 RON 194

$32.35 COP 115.1K

32.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 RON 391

$103 COP 365.1K

-15.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 RON 393

$108 COP 385.8K

-19.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 RON 2,147

$476 COP 1.7M

-0.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 RON 1,635

$379 COP 1.3M

-4.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$750 RON 3,395

$838 COP 3.0M

-10.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$550 RON 2,491

$724 COP 2.6M

-23.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,076 RON 13.9K

$2,791 COP 9.9M

10.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,997 RON 9,036

$1,211 COP 4.3M

64.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,191 RON 5,389

$512 COP 1.8M

132.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.37

13.43

-45.12%

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

Last update for Iasi: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Iasi versus $476 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 133% higher in Iasi, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Iasi versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $212 vs $188 – making Medellin 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: $1,137 in Iasi, $1,013 in Medellin – roughly 12% apart. Iasi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,706 per month in Iasi and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 53% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $463 per month in Iasi and $309 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Iasi at $1,137. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Iasi 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 $1,013 in Medellin to $1,137 in Iasi. 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Iasi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.