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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,052 in Calafat, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,550 in Calafat, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,048 in Calafat, rent included.

Medellin is about 2% cheaper than Calafat, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Calafat are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Calafat 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$9.08 RON 39.60

-34.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$42.09 RON 184

-22.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.87 RON 34.31

-8.51%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.27 RON 9.89

-25.11%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.88 RON 3.84

25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.90 RON 3.94

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.13 RON 4.91

47.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.12 RON 9.24

46.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.29 RON 5.62

-17.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.89 RON 3.87

40.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.46 RON 6.38

-4.79%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.58 RON 11.25

-12.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$7.37 RON 32.12

-41.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.49 RON 28.29

-10.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$7.03 RON 30.65

25.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.16 RON 5.07

93.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.58 RON 6.89

-31.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.39 RON 6.07

10.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.62 RON 7.07

-15.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.68 RON 2.96

66.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.77 RON 3.38

45.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.80 RON 3.47

6.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.79 RON 3.43

15.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$5.71 RON 24.91

-59.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$6.24 RON 27.22

78.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$0.96 RON 4.18

23.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.06 RON 8.97

15.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.68 RON 2.95

16.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$20.15 RON 87.9

104.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.57 RON 2.47

152.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.54 RON 2.37

253.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$6.78 RON 29.57

18.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.55 RON 6.75

-39.35%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$28.1K RON 122.5K

-36.20%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$27.6K RON 120.4K

-3.01%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$211 RON 921

-60.27%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$8.07 RON 35.20

18.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$7.09 RON 30.92

240.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$41.04 RON 179

-36.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$18.87 RON 82.3

0.90%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$6.64 RON 28.94

-40.96%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$430 RON 1,873

-28.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$9,050 RON 39.5K

-34.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$79.0 RON 345

-26.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$37.35 RON 163

-14.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$78.9 RON 344

26.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$85.6 RON 373

25.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$394 RON 1,716

23.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$289 RON 1,261

27.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$589 RON 2,567

40.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$440 RON 1,920

62.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$2,061 RON 8,984

41.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,400 RON 6,105

0.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$873 RON 3,808

-37.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

123.83%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Calafat: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $394 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 60% higher in Calafat, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $42.00 in Calafat. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $180 in Calafat – so Calafat wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $1,034 in Medellin, $1,052 in Calafat – roughly 2% apart. Calafat costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,578 in Calafat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $1,034 in Medellin and $1,052 in Calafat. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 104% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Calafat at $1,052. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Calafat 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 $1,034 in Medellin to $1,052 in Calafat. 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Calafat makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.