Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Galati Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Galati

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,118 in Galati, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,722 in Galati, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $2,327 in Galati, rent included.

Medellin is about 9% cheaper than Galati, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Galati are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Galati 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$11.30 RON 51.1

-47.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$46.26 RON 209

-27.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$8.28 RON 37.47

-12.68%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.63 RON 11.91

-38.02%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$2.21 RON 10.00

-50.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$1.92 RON 8.68

-61.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.26 RON 10.21

-23.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$3.43 RON 15.52

-5.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.40 RON 6.33

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.90 RON 4.06

43.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.92 RON 8.70

-31.25%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$3.79 RON 17.13

-40.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$8.67 RON 39.20

-49.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.34 RON 28.69

-7.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$9.04 RON 40.90

-4.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.24 RON 5.63

81.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.72 RON 7.77

-37.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.66 RON 7.51

-8.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.84 RON 8.34

-22.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.06 RON 4.79

10.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.10 RON 4.96

6.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.95 RON 4.29

-6.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.75 RON 3.37

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$5.91 RON 26.75

-61.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$5.61 RON 25.37

96.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$0.93 RON 4.19

22.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.30 RON 5.86

83.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.60 RON 2.70

40.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$26.44 RON 120

58.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.73 RON 3.31

93.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.61 RON 2.78

211.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$7.44 RON 33.65

4.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.54 RON 6.95

-34.42%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$28.2K RON 127.5K

-37.64%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$26.1K RON 118.1K

1.51%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$161 RON 727

-47.93%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$8.36 RON 37.82

13.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$8.64 RON 39.09

179.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$33.52 RON 152

-24.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$38.57 RON 174

-50.38%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$6.56 RON 29.68

-37.50%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$647 RON 2,927

-51.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$5,517 RON 25.0K

8.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$100.0 RON 452

-41.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$35.13 RON 159

-7.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$63.7 RON 288

56.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$98.6 RON 446

10.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$437 RON 1,978

10.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$349 RON 1,577

8.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$636 RON 2,877

31.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$536 RON 2,426

34.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,678 RON 7,590

69.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,257 RON 5,685

-2.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$934 RON 4,225

-42.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.5

106.62%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Galati: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $437 in Galati. 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 73% higher in Galati, 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 $46.00 in Galati. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $200 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Galati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,017 in Medellin, $1,118 in Galati – roughly 10% apart. Galati costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,677 in Galati. 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $1,118 in Galati. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 59% 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 $1,017, than in Galati at $1,118. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Galati 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 $1,017 in Medellin to $1,118 in Galati. 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, Galati makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.