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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $912 in Bacau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,474 in Bacau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,037 in Bacau, rent included.

Medellin costs about 11% more than Bacau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Bacau are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Bacau 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$11.60 RON 52.5

-48.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$45.83 RON 207

-28.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$8.27 RON 37.38

-14.27%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.32 RON 10.47

-26.29%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$2.18 RON 9.85

-49.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$1.83 RON 8.28

-57.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$2.26 RON 10.24

-25.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$3.64 RON 16.45

-15.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.37 RON 6.20

-20.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.89 RON 4.03

41.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.72 RON 7.75

-19.77%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$3.79 RON 17.12

-42.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$8.37 RON 37.84

-47.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$6.14 RON 27.73

-8.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$9.44 RON 42.69

-5.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.25 RON 5.66

87.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.57 RON 7.10

-32.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.74 RON 7.85

-13.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.93 RON 8.70

-28.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.90 RON 4.09

27.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$0.84 RON 3.81

38.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.67 RON 3.03

32.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.79 RON 3.55

6.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$5.69 RON 25.71

-59.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$6.72 RON 30.37

58.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$0.88 RON 3.97

36.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.34 RON 6.07

84.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.63 RON 2.85

36.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$31.81 RON 144

30.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.61 RON 2.77

140.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.60 RON 2.71

226.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$7.71 RON 34.85

0.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.58 RON 7.14

-39.87%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$28.1K RON 127.1K

-35.51%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$26.8K RON 121.0K

-1.05%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$114 RON 516

-27.88%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$8.19 RON 37.03

16.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$5.23 RON 23.62

363.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$25.17 RON 114

2.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$23.37 RON 106

-18.70%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$6.77 RON 30.61

-41.95%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$654 RON 2,958

-52.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$5,513 RON 24.9K

8.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$90.4 RON 409

-35.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$35.64 RON 161

-9.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$62.4 RON 282

64.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$98.2 RON 444

10.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$321 RON 1,449

48.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$187 RON 844

102.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$507 RON 2,290

65.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$368 RON 1,662

96.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,893 RON 8,559

47.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,242 RON 5,612

-2.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$1,020 RON 4,609

-49.80%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bacau: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $321 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 99% 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: $188 vs $198 – 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 11%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,368 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $912 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 $912, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.