Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Craiova Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Craiova

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,106 in Craiova.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,643 in Craiova.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $2,180 in Craiova.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 7% less than in Craiova, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Craiova 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$9.06 RON 39.52

-34.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$45.77 RON 200

-28.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$8.27 RON 36.06

-12.94%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.49 RON 10.84

-31.73%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$2.19 RON 9.53

-49.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$1.96 RON 8.56

-63.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.37 RON 10.32

-29.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.44 RON 14.98

-9.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.57 RON 6.83

-32.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.99 RON 4.31

26.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.69 RON 7.38

-17.75%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$3.35 RON 14.60

-32.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$7.70 RON 33.59

-43.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.71 RON 29.25

-12.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$9.78 RON 42.65

-9.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.27 RON 5.53

76.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.66 RON 7.25

-34.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.57 RON 6.85

-2.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.82 RON 7.94

-24.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.03 RON 4.50

9.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.10 RON 4.78

1.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.85 RON 3.70

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.76 RON 3.31

19.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$5.95 RON 25.95

-60.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$6.35 RON 27.67

75.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.25 RON 5.47

-4.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.19 RON 9.55

8.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.71 RON 3.09

11.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$23.01 RON 100

78.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.61 RON 2.65

136.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.81 RON 3.54

135.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$6.87 RON 29.96

16.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.57 RON 6.83

-40.13%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$27.9K RON 121.4K

-35.66%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$27.4K RON 119.4K

-2.15%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$207 RON 902

-59.42%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$7.90 RON 34.45

21.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$11.74 RON 51.2

105.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$36.46 RON 159

-29.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$18.49 RON 80.6

2.97%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$6.75 RON 29.43

-41.93%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$445 RON 1,941

-31.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$8,844 RON 38.6K

-33.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$78.9 RON 344

-26.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$37.74 RON 165

-15.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$78.6 RON 343

27.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$85.5 RON 373

25.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$382 RON 1,668

27.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$315 RON 1,374

16.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$720 RON 3,141

14.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$444 RON 1,935

61.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$2,730 RON 11.9K

7.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$2,095 RON 9,133

-32.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$1,077 RON 4,697

-49.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.28

113.85%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Craiova: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $382 in Craiova. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Craiova pays 97% 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 $46.00 in Craiova for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $205 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 Craiova: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Craiova. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Craiova earns 97% 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: $487 in Medellin versus $382 in Craiova. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $1,106 in Craiova – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 79% less than in Craiova. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,106 in Craiova, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Craiova. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,034 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Craiova 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 7% less than in Craiova. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.