Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Iasi Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Iasi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,137 in Iasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,720 in Iasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,303 in Iasi, rent included.

Medellin is about 11% cheaper than Iasi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Iasi are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Iasi 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.3K

$10.52 RON 47.59

-43.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 116.9K

$51.4 RON 232

-36.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.2K

$6.73 RON 30.46

5.35%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,093

$2.68 RON 12.13

-36.19%

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

$1.10 COP 3,910

$2.08 RON 9.39

-47.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,771

$1.74 RON 7.88

-55.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,976

$2.46 RON 11.12

-31.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$3.42 RON 15.47

-10.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,892

$1.40 RON 6.33

-22.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,492

$1.22 RON 5.51

3.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,905

$1.87 RON 8.45

-26.20%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,799

$3.21 RON 14.51

-31.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$7.95 RON 35.98

-44.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.0K

$6.70 RON 30.32

-15.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.6K

$10.99 RON 49.71

-19.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,319

$1.24 RON 5.61

88.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,764

$1.62 RON 7.33

-34.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,355

$1.73 RON 7.84

-13.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,906

$1.97 RON 8.90

-29.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,097

$0.99 RON 4.48

16.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,141

$1.05 RON 4.73

10.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,170

$1.04 RON 4.68

-14.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,986

$0.86 RON 3.89

-2.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,116

$6.37 RON 28.85

-64.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$6.61 RON 29.92

60.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,268

$1.09 RON 4.95

10.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,793

$1.98 RON 8.96

24.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,045

$0.85 RON 3.84

1.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

$27.13 RON 123

52.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,245

$0.89 RON 4.03

65.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,984

$0.70 RON 3.16

180.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.5K

$7.84 RON 35.48

-1.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,397

$1.66 RON 7.51

-42.77%

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

$18.1K COP 64.5M

$28.5K RON 129.2K

-36.47%

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

$26.5K COP 94.2M

$27.3K RON 123.7K

-3.12%

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

$82.3 COP 292.7K

$156 RON 708

-47.39%

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

$9.50 COP 33.8K

$8.47 RON 38.35

12.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.2K

$10.21 RON 46.22

137.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.1K

$47.10 RON 213

-45.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

$18.25 RON 82.6

4.11%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$8.17 RON 36.99

-51.90%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$463 RON 2,095

-33.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.2M

$7,028 RON 31.8K

-15.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 208.7K

$62.3 RON 282

-5.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.1K

$42.79 RON 194

-24.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.1K

$86.4 RON 391

18.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 385.8K

$86.9 RON 393

24.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$474 RON 2,147

0.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$361 RON 1,635

4.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$750 RON 3,395

11.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$550 RON 2,491

31.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$3,076 RON 13.9K

-9.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,997 RON 9,036

-39.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$1,191 RON 5,389

-57.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

7.37

82.23%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Iasi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $474 in Iasi. 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 133% higher in Iasi, 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 $51.0 in Iasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $212 – 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 Iasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,013 in Medellin, $1,137 in Iasi – roughly 12% apart. Iasi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,706 in Iasi. 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 53% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Medellin and $463 in Iasi. 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 $1,013, than in Iasi at $1,137. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Iasi 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 $1,013 in Medellin to $1,137 in Iasi. 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, Iasi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.