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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,115 in Craiova.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,639 in Craiova.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $2,163 in Craiova.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 9% less than in Craiova, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Craiova 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$8.96 RON 40.53

-33.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$46.48 RON 210

-28.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.99 RON 36.16

-9.51%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.59 RON 11.73

-37.07%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$2.09 RON 9.44

-47.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$1.87 RON 8.44

-60.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.35 RON 10.61

-25.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$3.52 RON 15.94

-8.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.51 RON 6.84

-30.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.00 RON 4.51

29.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.71 RON 7.72

-22.81%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$3.27 RON 14.78

-30.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$7.76 RON 35.10

-43.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.54 RON 29.60

-10.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$9.45 RON 42.75

-8.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.28 RON 5.80

75.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.69 RON 7.64

-36.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.57 RON 7.11

-3.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.87 RON 8.47

-24.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.03 RON 4.68

13.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.12 RON 5.07

4.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.80 RON 3.61

11.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.80 RON 3.64

12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$6.03 RON 27.26

-62.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$6.00 RON 27.16

84.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.31 RON 5.95

-12.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.26 RON 10.24

5.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.67 RON 3.02

25.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$23.28 RON 105

80.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.57 RON 2.58

147.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.83 RON 3.77

128.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$7.10 RON 32.12

9.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.61 RON 7.27

-37.27%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$27.5K RON 124.6K

-36.18%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$27.8K RON 125.9K

-4.82%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$212 RON 957

-60.46%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$8.06 RON 36.48

17.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$11.54 RON 52.2

108.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$36.06 RON 163

-29.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$18.75 RON 84.8

2.08%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$6.69 RON 30.28

-38.71%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$436 RON 1,971

-28.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$8,920 RON 40.4K

-32.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$80.5 RON 364

-27.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$36.68 RON 166

-11.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$78.5 RON 355

26.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$87.8 RON 397

23.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$387 RON 1,751

24.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$307 RON 1,389

23.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$727 RON 3,287

15.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$448 RON 2,028

61.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$2,639 RON 11.9K

7.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$2,047 RON 9,260

-40.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$998 RON 4,516

-45.83%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Craiova: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $387 in Craiova. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Craiova pays 85% 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 $203 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 10% 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 85% 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: $482 in Medellin versus $387 in Craiova. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $1,115 in Craiova – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 80% less than in Craiova. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,115 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 $1,017 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 10% less than in Craiova. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.