Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bacau Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bacau

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $905 in Bacau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,462 in Bacau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,019 in Bacau, rent included.

Medellin costs about 14% more than Bacau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Bacau are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Bacau 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$11.74 RON 53.9

-47.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$45.80 RON 210

-28.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$8.16 RON 37.44

-10.05%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.30 RON 10.56

-25.22%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$2.20 RON 10.12

-52.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$1.86 RON 8.52

-58.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.32 RON 10.65

-27.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.54 RON 16.27

-10.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.34 RON 6.17

-21.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.84 RON 3.86

54.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.71 RON 7.86

-18.13%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$3.67 RON 16.83

-41.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$8.33 RON 38.25

-47.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$6.22 RON 28.54

-5.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$9.10 RON 41.78

-5.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.26 RON 5.80

80.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.62 RON 7.44

-31.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.73 RON 7.95

-11.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.83 RON 8.39

-26.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.93 RON 4.28

21.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.83 RON 3.83

36.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.71 RON 3.25

19.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.74 RON 3.38

22.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$5.85 RON 26.87

-60.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$6.58 RON 30.19

87.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.87 RON 3.99

37.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.34 RON 6.14

85.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.63 RON 2.89

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$32.12 RON 147

26.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.62 RON 2.86

129.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.64 RON 2.95

200.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$7.44 RON 34.15

2.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.60 RON 7.34

-38.13%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$28.3K RON 129.8K

-36.22%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$26.7K RON 122.4K

-0.12%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$116 RON 532

-30.29%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$8.53 RON 39.17

16.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$5.26 RON 24.16

359.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$24.94 RON 115

0.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$23.39 RON 107

-18.13%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$6.81 RON 31.25

-41.56%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$654 RON 3,004

-53.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$5,516 RON 25.3K

9.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$90.4 RON 415

-35.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$35.38 RON 162

-8.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$63.7 RON 292

58.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$99.0 RON 455

8.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$325 RON 1,493

46.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$183 RON 840

105.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$501 RON 2,301

68.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$366 RON 1,679

99.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,828 RON 8,389

75.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,217 RON 5,586

12.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$1,022 RON 4,691

-39.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.5

106.62%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bacau: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $325 in Bacau. 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 66% higher in Bacau, 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $46.00 in Bacau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $195 – 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

Medellin vs Bacau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 14%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,357 in Bacau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $46.00 in Bacau. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,031 in Medellin and $905 in Bacau. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bacau, where all-in costs run around $905, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Bacau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bacau – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Bacau. 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.