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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,109 in Craiova.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,650 in Craiova.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $2,191 in Craiova.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 10% less than in Craiova, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Craiova 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$9.38 RON 42.65

-36.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$45.95 RON 209

-28.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$7.96 RON 36.18

-6.66%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.49 RON 11.31

-33.73%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$2.10 RON 9.54

-47.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$1.92 RON 8.75

-59.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.25 RON 10.21

-23.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$3.35 RON 15.23

-5.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.56 RON 7.09

-29.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.00 RON 4.54

26.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.71 RON 7.77

-19.30%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$3.23 RON 14.66

-32.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$7.72 RON 35.11

-41.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$6.48 RON 29.47

-10.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$9.81 RON 44.59

-8.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.23 RON 5.61

88.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.70 RON 7.73

-37.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.60 RON 7.27

-5.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.84 RON 8.36

-26.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.07 RON 4.88

5.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.14 RON 5.17

2.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.80 RON 3.64

12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.80 RON 3.65

12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$5.88 RON 26.74

-62.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$6.34 RON 28.81

91.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.30 RON 5.91

-8.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.25 RON 10.24

10.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.72 RON 3.28

18.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$23.02 RON 105

80.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.56 RON 2.54

153.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.89 RON 4.04

119.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$6.75 RON 30.69

16.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.60 RON 7.29

-38.13%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$27.5K RON 124.9K

-35.94%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$27.6K RON 125.6K

-2.96%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$212 RON 964

-60.86%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$8.08 RON 36.73

20.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$11.58 RON 52.6

103.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$37.03 RON 168

-31.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$18.97 RON 86.2

0.69%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$6.54 RON 29.76

-39.60%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$434 RON 1,971

-27.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$8,856 RON 40.3K

-32.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$78.5 RON 357

-23.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$37.91 RON 172

-16.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$77.6 RON 353

31.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$86.8 RON 394

23.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$386 RON 1,756

22.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$317 RON 1,439

18.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$706 RON 3,209

20.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$436 RON 1,980

65.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$2,735 RON 12.4K

19.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,998 RON 9,082

-27.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$945 RON 4,297

-33.94%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Craiova: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $386 in Craiova. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Craiova pays 51% 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 $193 vs $204 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 11% 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, salaries run 51% lower in Craiova. 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: $475 in Medellin versus $386 in Craiova. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $1,109 in Craiova – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 81% less than in Craiova. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,109 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 $1,003 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 11% less than in Craiova. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.