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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,254 in Brasov.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,956 in Brasov.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $2,657 in Brasov.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 18% less than in Brasov, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Brasov 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$12.42 RON 57.0

-50.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$50.8 RON 233

-35.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$8.07 RON 37.06

-9.05%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$3.58 RON 16.42

-51.96%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.90 RON 8.74

-44.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$2.01 RON 9.25

-61.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$3.25 RON 14.92

-48.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.42 RON 15.68

-7.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.54 RON 7.07

-31.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.29 RON 5.93

0.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.81 RON 8.32

-22.65%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$3.36 RON 15.43

-35.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$8.83 RON 40.51

-50.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$7.03 RON 32.27

-16.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$11.75 RON 54.0

-26.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.14 RON 5.26

100.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.66 RON 7.61

-33.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.55 RON 7.12

-1.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.49 RON 11.41

-45.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.94 RON 4.34

20.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.06 RON 4.89

6.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.88 RON 4.02

-3.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.79 RON 3.64

15.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$5.85 RON 26.85

-60.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$7.84 RON 35.98

57.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.11 RON 5.09

8.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.71 RON 7.86

45.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.91 RON 4.16

-7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$18.69 RON 85.8

117.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.77 RON 3.53

84.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.60 RON 2.76

220.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$6.78 RON 31.13

12.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.61 RON 7.37

-38.51%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$28.1K RON 129.0K

-35.84%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$27.5K RON 126.3K

-3.24%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$165 RON 758

-51.07%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$8.19 RON 37.58

21.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$8.83 RON 40.53

173.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$60.0 RON 276

-58.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$15.81 RON 72.6

21.13%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$10.79 RON 49.54

-63.11%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$447 RON 2,053

-31.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$6,652 RON 30.5K

-8.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$68.0 RON 312

-14.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$42.68 RON 196

-24.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$95.6 RON 439

5.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$98.3 RON 451

9.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$626 RON 2,873

-23.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$428 RON 1,964

-12.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,029 RON 4,725

-17.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$699 RON 3,208

4.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$3,177 RON 14.6K

1.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$2,402 RON 11.0K

-42.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$1,127 RON 5,176

-45.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

7.7

74.42%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Brasov: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $626 in Brasov. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasov pays 83% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $51.0 in Brasov for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $223 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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 22% in total monthly costs ($1,031 vs $1,254 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 83% 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: $477 in Medellin versus $626 in Brasov. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $51.0 in Brasov. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $1,254 in Brasov – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,254 in Brasov, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Brasov. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Brasov. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.