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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,086 in Galati, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,696 in Galati, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,307 in Galati, rent included.

Medellin costs about 55% more than Galati, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Galati is 21% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$10.77 RON 49.38

-25.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$43.88 RON 201

9.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$7.51 RON 34.42

31.69%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$2.65 RON 12.16

18.11%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$2.17 RON 9.96

-11.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$1.98 RON 9.08

-23.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$2.25 RON 10.32

38.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$3.22 RON 14.77

78.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.30 RON 5.94

10.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$0.69 RON 3.14

260.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$1.78 RON 8.17

-0.56%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$3.50 RON 16.05

-15.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$7.89 RON 36.16

27.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$6.14 RON 28.13

64.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$8.73 RON 40.01

63.80%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$1.36 RON 6.22

204.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$1.60 RON 7.36

0.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$1.59 RON 7.30

41.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$1.85 RON 8.46

21.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$0.96 RON 4.39

112.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$1.09 RON 5.02

41.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$0.86 RON 3.94

36.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.71 RON 3.25

84.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$6.05 RON 27.73

-35.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$5.62 RON 25.75

149.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$1.02 RON 4.68

70.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$1.29 RON 5.92

122.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$0.74 RON 3.39

64.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$25.56 RON 117

214.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$0.64 RON 2.95

104.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$0.73 RON 3.33

200.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$7.08 RON 32.46

23.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$1.71 RON 7.83

-19.88%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$29.5K RON 135.3K

-5.67%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$26.3K RON 120.4K

36.23%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$155 RON 711

14.27%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$7.90 RON 36.22

75.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$8.38 RON 38.42

254.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$39.40 RON 181

13.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

$36.34 RON 167

-52.89%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$6.48 RON 29.68

2.62%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$612 RON 2,807

32.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$5,233 RON 24.0K

75.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$99.4 RON 456

-9.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$33.22 RON 152

77.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$64.8 RON 297

113.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$87.6 RON 402

16.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$402 RON 1,844

164.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$328 RON 1,501

102.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$803 RON 3,683

135.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$584 RON 2,679

75.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$1,671 RON 7,659

150.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,280 RON 5,867

30.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$952 RON 4,366

-28.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

7.2

51.94%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Galati: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $402 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 41% higher in Galati, 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $44.00 in Galati. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $189 – making Galati 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: $1,681 in Medellin, $1,086 in Galati – roughly 55% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,628 in Galati. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Galati, 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $1,086 in Galati. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 215% less in Galati. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Galati, where all-in costs run around $1,086, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Galati it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin 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 $1,086 in Galati to $1,681 in Medellin. 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 Galati. 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.