Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Giurgiu Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Giurgiu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,116 in Giurgiu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,718 in Giurgiu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,319 in Giurgiu, rent included.

Medellin is about 10% cheaper than Giurgiu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Giurgiu are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Giurgiu 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$12.06 RON 55.1

-51.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$49.98 RON 228

-34.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$7.93 RON 36.19

-6.31%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$3.46 RON 15.78

-52.31%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$1.94 RON 8.86

-43.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$2.07 RON 9.43

-62.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$3.28 RON 14.98

-47.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$3.46 RON 15.80

-8.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$1.48 RON 6.75

-25.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$1.33 RON 6.08

-5.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$1.83 RON 8.33

-24.59%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$3.39 RON 15.48

-35.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$8.62 RON 39.36

-47.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$7.15 RON 32.66

-19.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$11.92 RON 54.4

-24.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$1.17 RON 5.36

98.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$1.72 RON 7.85

-38.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$1.55 RON 7.09

-1.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$2.47 RON 11.30

-44.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$0.95 RON 4.34

18.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$1.07 RON 4.87

9.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$0.89 RON 4.07

1.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$0.84 RON 3.81

7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$5.75 RON 26.25

-61.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$7.52 RON 34.35

61.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$1.15 RON 5.24

3.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$1.65 RON 7.56

50.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$0.71 RON 3.23

19.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

$19.81 RON 90.5

110.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$0.73 RON 3.32

94.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$0.69 RON 3.14

182.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$6.70 RON 30.62

17.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$1.59 RON 7.26

-37.74%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$28.4K RON 129.7K

-38.01%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$27.6K RON 126.2K

-3.02%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$164 RON 750

-49.47%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$7.95 RON 36.30

22.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$8.80 RON 40.18

167.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$41.95 RON 192

-39.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

$19.55 RON 89.3

-2.30%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$10.84 RON 49.48

-63.56%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$444 RON 2,025

-28.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$6,483 RON 29.6K

-7.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$66.7 RON 305

-10.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$43.39 RON 198

-26.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$96.3 RON 440

5.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$99.7 RON 455

7.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$386 RON 1,762

23.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$287 RON 1,310

30.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$582 RON 2,656

45.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$445 RON 2,034

61.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

$1,829 RON 8,352

78.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

$1,226 RON 5,598

17.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

7.7

74.42%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Giurgiu: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $386 in Giurgiu. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $50.0 in Giurgiu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $224 – 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 Giurgiu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Giurgiu is pricier by about 11%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,674 in Giurgiu. 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.

Public transport costs about 110% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $316 per month in Medellin and $444 in Giurgiu. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in Giurgiu at $1,116. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Giurgiu it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Giurgiu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.