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: $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,265 in Brasov.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,970 in Brasov.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $2,675 in Brasov.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 20% less than in Brasov, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Brasov 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$12.18 RON 55.1

-50.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$49.75 RON 225

-33.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$8.19 RON 37.02

-13.43%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$3.47 RON 15.69

-50.72%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.95 RON 8.81

-43.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$2.10 RON 9.48

-62.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$3.25 RON 14.67

-48.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$3.50 RON 15.80

-12.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.49 RON 6.72

-26.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.33 RON 6.02

-5.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.75 RON 7.89

-21.14%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$3.39 RON 15.32

-35.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$8.49 RON 38.38

-48.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$6.96 RON 31.46

-19.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$11.91 RON 53.8

-25.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.19 RON 5.39

96.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.64 RON 7.39

-35.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.60 RON 7.24

-6.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$2.53 RON 11.43

-45.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.95 RON 4.30

21.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.07 RON 4.82

8.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.88 RON 3.99

1.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.85 RON 3.83

-1.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$5.82 RON 26.30

-60.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$9.03 RON 40.82

17.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.14 RON 5.14

5.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.66 RON 7.50

48.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.91 RON 4.11

-5.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$19.00 RON 85.9

117.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.77 RON 3.47

90.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.60 RON 2.73

226.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$6.88 RON 31.10

12.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.59 RON 7.20

-40.25%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$27.7K RON 125.4K

-34.64%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$27.4K RON 123.9K

-3.37%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$167 RON 754

-50.72%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$7.88 RON 35.63

20.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$9.28 RON 41.94

161.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$59.8 RON 270

-56.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$15.86 RON 71.7

19.80%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$10.84 RON 48.99

-63.75%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$441 RON 1,995

-29.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$6,608 RON 29.9K

-9.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$65.8 RON 297

-10.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$42.49 RON 192

-23.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$95.8 RON 433

7.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$97.2 RON 440

11.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$621 RON 2,808

-23.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$419 RON 1,892

-9.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,051 RON 4,751

-20.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$701 RON 3,171

3.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$3,190 RON 14.4K

-12.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$2,490 RON 11.3K

-51.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$1,082 RON 4,892

-52.71%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Brasov: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $621 in Brasov. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasov pays 111% 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 $50.0 in Brasov for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $225 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 25% in total monthly costs ($1,013 vs $1,265 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Brasov earns 111% less. 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: $476 in Medellin versus $621 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 $50.0 in Brasov. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $1,265 in Brasov – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,265 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 25% less than in Brasov. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.