Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Calafat Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Calafat

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,051 in Calafat, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,530 in Calafat, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,009 in Calafat, rent included.

Medellin costs about 60% more than Calafat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Calafat is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$7.85 RON 35.96

2.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$37.73 RON 173

26.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$7.61 RON 34.86

29.96%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$2.15 RON 9.85

45.58%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$1.59 RON 7.29

20.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.93 RON 4.26

62.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$1.08 RON 4.94

188.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$2.03 RON 9.28

183.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$1.20 RON 5.51

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$0.80 RON 3.66

211.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$1.41 RON 6.47

25.53%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$2.43 RON 11.13

21.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$7.14 RON 32.70

41.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$6.81 RON 31.21

48.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$6.47 RON 29.63

121.02%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$1.03 RON 4.71

301.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$1.57 RON 7.19

2.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$1.35 RON 6.18

66.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$1.58 RON 7.23

42.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$0.65 RON 2.96

213.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$0.79 RON 3.64

94.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$0.78 RON 3.60

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.74 RON 3.41

77.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$5.65 RON 25.89

-30.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$6.79 RON 31.12

106.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$0.93 RON 4.28

87.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$1.56 RON 7.12

83.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$0.79 RON 3.60

54.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

$22.67 RON 104

255.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$0.58 RON 2.64

125.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$0.53 RON 2.43

313.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$6.74 RON 30.86

29.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.58 RON 7.23

-13.29%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$27.3K RON 125.0K

2.03%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$27.2K RON 124.4K

31.70%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$204 RON 935

-13.14%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$7.64 RON 35.01

81.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$6.66 RON 30.50

346.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$40.90 RON 187

9.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

$21.36 RON 97.8

-19.85%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$7.62 RON 34.93

-12.73%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$438 RON 2,007

85.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$8,568 RON 39.2K

7.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$59.0 RON 270

51.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$44.26 RON 203

33.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$82.2 RON 377

68.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$88.7 RON 406

15.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$409 RON 1,874

159.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$302 RON 1,385

119.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$636 RON 2,913

196.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$474 RON 2,172

116.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$1,939 RON 8,882

115.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,406 RON 6,440

19.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

$849 RON 3,891

-20.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

82.33%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Calafat: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $409 in Calafat. 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 25% higher in Calafat, 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 $38.00 in Calafat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $175 – making Calafat 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 Calafat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,681 in Medellin, $1,051 in Calafat – roughly 60% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,577 in Calafat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Calafat, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $1,051 in Calafat. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 255% less in Calafat. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Calafat, where all-in costs run around $1,051, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Calafat it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,051 in Calafat to $1,681 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Calafat. 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.