Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Brasov Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Brasov

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,681 in Medellin versus $1,360 in Brasov.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $2,208 in Brasov.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $3,056 in Brasov.

Living in Medellin is roughly 24% more expensive than in Brasov, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Brasov is 1% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$12.33 RON 56.6

-34.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$54.5 RON 250

-12.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$7.83 RON 35.95

26.31%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$3.79 RON 17.41

-17.41%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$2.46 RON 11.27

-22.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$2.34 RON 10.76

-35.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$3.31 RON 15.20

-5.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$3.50 RON 16.04

64.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.59 RON 7.28

-9.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.49 RON 6.84

67.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.80 RON 8.28

-1.67%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$3.56 RON 16.33

-16.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$9.07 RON 41.63

11.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$7.26 RON 33.31

39.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$13.19 RON 60.5

8.42%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.60 RON 7.35

158.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.59 RON 7.31

1.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.67 RON 7.67

34.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$2.71 RON 12.46

-16.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.81 RON 3.71

151.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.94 RON 4.31

63.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.93 RON 4.29

25.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.79 RON 3.61

65.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$6.55 RON 30.03

-40.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$7.72 RON 35.44

81.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.29 RON 5.93

34.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$1.95 RON 8.95

47.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$1.13 RON 5.20

7.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$24.51 RON 112

228.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$0.70 RON 3.22

87.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.66 RON 3.02

231.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$6.91 RON 31.73

26.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.91 RON 8.77

-28.27%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$29.1K RON 133.5K

-4.34%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$27.0K RON 123.7K

32.66%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$185 RON 848

-4.02%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$8.06 RON 36.98

72.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$9.60 RON 44.05

209.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$59.9 RON 275

-25.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$14.45 RON 66.3

18.48%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$9.72 RON 44.58

-31.58%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$470 RON 2,157

72.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$7,272 RON 33.4K

26.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$55.3 RON 254

61.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$36.85 RON 169

60.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$79.3 RON 364

74.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$93.4 RON 428

9.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$715 RON 3,282

48.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$493 RON 2,260

34.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$1,357 RON 6,225

39.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$1,065 RON 4,888

-3.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$3,296 RON 15.1K

26.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$2,468 RON 11.3K

-32.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,145 RON 5,254

-40.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

7.2

51.94%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Brasov: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $715 in Brasov. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasov pays 69% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $54.0 in Brasov. Groceries flip the comparison at $305 vs $236, with Brasov cheaper for home cooking.

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 Brasov: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Brasov differ by about 24% in total monthly costs ($1,681 vs $1,360 including rent). Brasov is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 69% lower in Brasov. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,062 in Medellin versus $715 in Brasov. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Brasov – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $1,360 in Brasov – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,360 in Brasov versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Brasov but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Brasov the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Brasov are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Brasov gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.