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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,156 in Iasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,753 in Iasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,350 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 23% lower, Iasi 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$10.39 RON 47.70

-40.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$51.6 RON 237

-36.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$7.12 RON 32.67

3.09%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.63 RON 12.09

-34.60%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$2.11 RON 9.67

-50.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$1.71 RON 7.86

-54.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.47 RON 11.35

-31.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.36 RON 15.43

-5.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.43 RON 6.55

-26.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.22 RON 5.59

6.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.89 RON 8.66

-25.93%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$3.09 RON 14.16

-30.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$8.12 RON 37.29

-45.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$6.93 RON 31.79

-15.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$10.88 RON 49.95

-20.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.23 RON 5.66

85.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.55 RON 7.14

-28.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.71 RON 7.86

-10.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.92 RON 8.80

-29.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.94 RON 4.31

20.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.00 RON 4.60

13.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.00 RON 4.59

-15.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.86 RON 3.94

5.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$6.28 RON 28.81

-62.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$6.39 RON 29.32

93.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.10 RON 5.04

9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.92 RON 8.83

29.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.79 RON 3.65

6.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$27.96 RON 128

45.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.94 RON 4.31

51.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.71 RON 3.26

170.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$8.14 RON 37.36

-5.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.68 RON 7.71

-41.07%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$28.5K RON 130.9K

-36.78%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$27.7K RON 127.2K

-3.94%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$157 RON 718

-48.37%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$8.51 RON 39.08

16.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$10.26 RON 47.09

135.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$47.27 RON 217

-46.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$18.50 RON 84.9

3.51%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$8.00 RON 36.74

-50.25%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$471 RON 2,160

-35.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$6,866 RON 31.5K

-11.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$61.0 RON 280

-4.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$43.56 RON 200

-26.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$86.8 RON 398

16.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$87.5 RON 401

23.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$473 RON 2,172

0.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$359 RON 1,649

4.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$742 RON 3,405

13.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$533 RON 2,448

36.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,911 RON 13.4K

10.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,932 RON 8,869

-28.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$1,182 RON 5,426

-47.82%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Iasi: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $473 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 92% 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 $52.0 in Iasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $211 – 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: $1,031 in Medellin, $1,156 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,734 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 45% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Medellin and $471 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 $1,031, than in Iasi at $1,156. 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 $1,031 in Medellin to $1,156 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.