Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Deva

For one person, living is cheaper in Deva: $861 a month against $1,614 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $9,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,614
/mo nomad
Deva
🇷🇴 Romania
$861
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Deva

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Deva actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,614 per month in Medellin vs $861 in Deva, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,614
  • Deva $861

A couple spends around $2,402 per month in Medellin vs $1,335 in Deva, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,402
  • Deva $1,335

A family of three spends $3,190 per month in Medellin vs $1,809 in Deva, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,190
  • Deva $1,809

Medellin costs about 87% more than Deva, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Deva is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Deva
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.93 COP 25.2K
$6.85 RON 32.41
15.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.13 COP 146.3K
$21.01 RON 99.4
119.56%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.1K
$7.33 RON 34.68
29.60%
Cappuccino
$3.11 COP 9,866
$1.69 RON 8.00
84.02%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 COP 5,800
$2.03 RON 9.60
-9.85%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 COP 4,360
$1.16 RON 5.50
18.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.05 COP 9,672
$1.28 RON 6.07
138.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.50 COP 17.4K
$2.04 RON 9.65
169.61%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Deva
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.45 COP 4,600
$1.54 RON 7.29
-5.84%
White Bread (500g)
$2.36 COP 7,496
$1.33 RON 6.29
77.44%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.68 COP 5,328
$1.15 RON 5.42
46.09%
Eggs
$2.86 COP 9,077
$3.00 RON 14.18
-4.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.3K
$7.70 RON 36.43
32.34%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.53 COP 30.2K
$5.22 RON 24.71
82.57%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.04 COP 44.5K
$8.49 RON 40.15
65.37%
Apples (1kg)
$4.07 COP 12.9K
$1.38 RON 6.52
194.93%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 COP 4,742
$1.35 RON 6.40
11.11%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.17 COP 6,891
$1.52 RON 7.20
42.76%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.31 COP 7,310
$2.12 RON 10.02
8.96%
Potato (1kg)
$1.93 COP 6,113
$0.71 RON 3.34
171.83%
Onion (1kg)
$1.64 COP 5,196
$0.92 RON 4.35
78.26%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 COP 3,571
$0.90 RON 4.27
25.56%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.25 COP 3,954
$0.85 RON 4.03
47.06%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.99 COP 12.6K
$5.33 RON 25.23
-25.14%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.35 COP 42.3K
$7.39 RON 34.98
80.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 COP 5,384
$1.04 RON 4.91
63.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 COP 7,525
$1.68 RON 7.97
41.07%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Deva
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.21 COP 3,827
$0.60 RON 2.83
101.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.5 COP 242.5K
$31.81 RON 151
140.46%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.32 COP 4,179
$0.76 RON 3.60
73.68%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.14 COP 6,774
$0.65 RON 3.07
229.23%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.47 COP 26.8K
$8.37 RON 39.61
1.19%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 COP 4,114
$1.63 RON 7.71
-20.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K COP 88.7M
$28.6K RON 135.4K
-2.19%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.4K COP 112.3M
$24.9K RON 117.8K
42.18%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Deva
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$172 COP 545.6K
$132 RON 626
30.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.37 COP 42.4K
$8.51 RON 40.24
57.11%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.73 COP 91.1K
$9.70 RON 45.91
196.19%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Deva
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.24 COP 143.5K
$38.77 RON 183
16.69%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.04 COP 54.0K
$53.3 RON 252
-68.00%
Cinema Ticket
$6.28 COP 19.9K
$6.16 RON 29.17
1.95%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Deva
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$770 COP 2.4M
$585 RON 2,766
31.74%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,011 COP 28.6M
$9,476 RON 44.8K
-4.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Deva
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.4 COP 274.0K
$70.2 RON 332
23.06%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.1 COP 181.1K
$44.99 RON 213
26.98%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$137 COP 432.9K
$83.1 RON 393
64.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 310.4K
$73.8 RON 349
32.74%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Deva
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,055 COP 3.3M
$236 RON 1,115
347.61%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$616 COP 2.0M
$186 RON 878
231.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,892 COP 6.0M
$403 RON 1,906
369.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,023 COP 3.2M
$353 RON 1,671
189.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,059 COP 12.9M
$4,782 RON 22.6K
-15.13%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,678 COP 5.3M
$3,467 RON 16.4K
-51.58%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Deva
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$652 COP 2.1M
$1,151 RON 5,445
-43.31%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
6.73
62.56%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Last update for Deva: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$616
Deva
$186 69.9% $430
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$295
Deva
$193 34.6% $102
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$214
Deva
$151 29.7% $64
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$170
Deva
$122 28% $48
Eating Out
Medellin
$168
Deva
$120 28.5% $48
Getting Around
Medellin
$93
Deva
$38 59.1% $55
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Deva
$51 11.6% $6.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,055 in Medellin versus $236 in Deva. 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 76% higher in Deva, 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 $46.00 in Medellin versus $21.00 in Deva. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $193 – making Deva the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇷🇴 Deva
🕒 Local time
04:16 4:16 AM
12:16 12:16 PM
8 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
61,123
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

RON, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 4.73 RON (1 RON = 0.211 USD). 1 EUR = 5.32 RON (1 RON = 0.188 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Deva 10,160 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Deva

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Deva: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Medellin and in Deva compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,614 in Medellin, $861 in Deva – roughly 87% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Medellin compared to Deva?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,421 per month in Medellin and $1,291 in Deva. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Medellin and Deva?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Deva, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 53% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Medellin and $21.00 in Deva. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Deva, where all-in costs run around $861, than in Medellin at $1,614. In Deva it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Medellin and Deva?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $861 in Deva to $1,614 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Medellin or Deva safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Medellin and Deva?
If budget matters most, go with Deva. 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.

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