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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,156 per month in Iasi vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,753 per month in Iasi vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,350 per month in Iasi vs $2,167 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 13% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.39 RON 47.70

$6.16 COP 20.1K

68.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 RON 237

$32.60 COP 106.1K

58.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 RON 32.67

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-3.00%

Cappuccino

$2.63 RON 12.09

$1.72 COP 5,599

52.91%

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

$2.11 RON 9.67

$1.05 COP 3,420

100.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 RON 7.86

$0.77 COP 2,515

122.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 RON 11.35

$1.69 COP 5,487

46.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 RON 15.43

$3.17 COP 10.3K

5.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 RON 6.55

$1.05 COP 3,423

36.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 RON 5.59

$1.30 COP 4,236

-6.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 RON 8.66

$1.40 COP 4,544

35.00%

Eggs

$3.09 RON 14.16

$2.16 COP 7,046

43.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.12 RON 37.29

$4.39 COP 14.3K

84.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.93 RON 31.79

$5.88 COP 19.1K

17.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.88 RON 49.95

$8.64 COP 28.1K

25.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.66

$2.28 COP 7,425

-46.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 RON 7.14

$1.11 COP 3,603

39.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.86

$1.53 COP 4,982

11.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 RON 8.80

$1.35 COP 4,410

42.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.31

$1.13 COP 3,674

-16.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.60

$1.13 COP 3,692

-11.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 RON 4.59

$0.85 COP 2,753

17.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 RON 3.94

$0.91 COP 2,975

-5.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.28 RON 28.81

$2.34 COP 7,629

168.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.39 RON 29.32

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-48.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 RON 5.04

$1.20 COP 3,909

-8.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 RON 8.83

$2.49 COP 8,104

-22.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 RON 3.65

$0.84 COP 2,727

-5.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.96 RON 128

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-31.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 RON 4.31

$1.42 COP 4,623

-33.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 RON 3.26

$1.92 COP 6,235

-63.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 RON 37.36

$7.66 COP 24.9K

6.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 RON 7.71

$0.99 COP 3,223

69.70%

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

$28.5K RON 130.9K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

58.17%

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

$27.7K RON 127.2K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

4.10%

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

$157 RON 718

$80.8 COP 263.1K

93.68%

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

$8.51 RON 39.08

$9.95 COP 32.4K

-14.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.26 RON 47.09

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-57.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.27 RON 217

$25.08 COP 81.6K

88.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.50 RON 84.9

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-3.39%

Cinema Ticket

$8.00 RON 36.74

$3.98 COP 13.0K

101.01%

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

$471 RON 2,160

$305 COP 993.4K

54.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,866 RON 31.5K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

13.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 RON 280

$58.1 COP 189.2K

4.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.56 RON 200

$32.20 COP 104.8K

35.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 RON 398

$101 COP 327.9K

-13.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.5 RON 401

$108 COP 350.8K

-18.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 RON 2,172

$477 COP 1.6M

-0.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$359 RON 1,649

$376 COP 1.2M

-4.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$742 RON 3,405

$845 COP 2.7M

-12.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$533 RON 2,448

$730 COP 2.4M

-26.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,911 RON 13.4K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-9.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,932 RON 8,869

$1,372 COP 4.5M

40.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,182 RON 5,426

$617 COP 2.0M

91.63%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $473 in Iasi versus $477 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 92% 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 $52.0 in Iasi versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $211 vs $193 – 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: $1,156 in Iasi, $1,031 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 $1,734 per month in Iasi and $1,546 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 45% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $471 per month in Iasi and $305 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 $1,031, than in Iasi at $1,156. 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 $1,031 in Medellin to $1,156 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.