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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $988 in Bacau, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,668 in Bacau, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $2,348 in Bacau, rent included.

Medellin costs about 74% more than Bacau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Bacau is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.0K

$12.21 RON 55.1

-34.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.6K

$88.8 RON 401

-45.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$8.61 RON 38.89

13.47%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,085

$2.04 RON 9.22

42.65%

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

$1.94 COP 6,067

$2.05 RON 9.24

-5.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,749

$1.92 RON 8.67

-20.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,653

$2.69 RON 12.15

14.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

$3.35 RON 15.13

71.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,257

$1.66 RON 7.48

-18.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,452

$1.24 RON 5.60

92.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,308

$1.62 RON 7.32

4.94%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,957

$3.28 RON 14.79

-12.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.0K

$8.30 RON 37.49

19.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$5.70 RON 25.73

89.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$9.72 RON 43.87

51.54%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$1.20 RON 5.42

240.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,906

$1.51 RON 6.83

3.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,635

$1.51 RON 6.82

41.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,910

$2.11 RON 9.53

4.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,389

$0.70 RON 3.18

192.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,695

$0.69 RON 3.11

117.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,714

$0.72 RON 3.23

65.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,615

$0.79 RON 3.59

46.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$5.51 RON 24.86

-29.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

$6.44 RON 29.07

124.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,943

$1.03 RON 4.66

53.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,826

$1.48 RON 6.67

91.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,646

$0.78 RON 3.54

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.6K

$31.36 RON 142

147.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,009

$0.64 RON 2.89

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,530

$0.67 RON 3.04

211.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

$6.48 RON 29.24

33.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,052

$1.90 RON 8.58

-31.58%

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

$27.7K COP 86.3M

$29.8K RON 134.5K

-7.18%

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

$35.5K COP 110.8M

$26.0K RON 117.5K

36.46%

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

$176 COP 549.6K

$111 RON 503

58.00%

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

$13.37 COP 41.7K

$11.43 RON 51.6

16.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.3K

$5.10 RON 23.03

486.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.7K

$27.34 RON 123

63.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

$16.90 RON 76.3

0.95%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$8.87 RON 40.03

-30.10%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$422 RON 1,906

87.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$6,096 RON 27.5K

47.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.2K

$75.4 RON 341

13.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.5K

$45.12 RON 204

29.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.4K

$96.6 RON 436

41.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 321.8K

$99.8 RON 451

3.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$418 RON 1,887

153.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$253 RON 1,141

168.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$575 RON 2,594

250.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.6M

$418 RON 1,885

179.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

$1,907 RON 8,610

115.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$1,253 RON 5,658

35.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$1,010 RON 4,560

-34.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.97

56.96%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Bacau: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $418 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 52% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $89.0 in Bacau. Groceries tell a different story – $303 in Medellin vs $200 in Bacau – so Bacau wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 74%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $1,482 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $89.0 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 $1,716 in Medellin and $988 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 $988, than in Medellin at $1,716. 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.