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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $1,287 in Iasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,944 in Iasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $2,601 in Iasi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 27% more than Iasi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Iasi is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$11.18 RON 50.6

-28.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$44.31 RON 201

8.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$7.84 RON 35.52

20.15%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$2.97 RON 13.45

-1.01%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$2.21 RON 10.02

-15.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$1.91 RON 8.66

-23.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$3.38 RON 15.30

-5.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$3.90 RON 17.65

46.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.67 RON 7.55

-13.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$1.38 RON 6.26

73.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$2.05 RON 9.29

-17.07%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$3.52 RON 15.94

-17.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$8.36 RON 37.88

20.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$6.64 RON 30.08

50.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$10.43 RON 47.22

36.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$1.45 RON 6.58

174.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.71 RON 7.72

-7.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$1.78 RON 8.06

20.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$2.26 RON 10.25

1.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$0.88 RON 4.00

127.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$0.90 RON 4.07

67.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$1.22 RON 5.51

-1.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$1.01 RON 4.58

26.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$6.82 RON 30.90

-43.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$6.51 RON 29.47

115.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.40 RON 6.33

22.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$2.22 RON 10.05

23.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$0.85 RON 3.84

47.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$28.56 RON 129

172.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$0.93 RON 4.20

40.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$0.92 RON 4.14

135.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$8.71 RON 39.44

-4.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.84 RON 8.35

-26.09%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$30.0K RON 135.7K

-8.28%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$28.6K RON 129.6K

27.69%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$191 RON 865

-11.67%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$7.82 RON 35.41

73.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$9.07 RON 41.07

212.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$46.91 RON 212

-2.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$16.58 RON 75.1

3.86%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$8.78 RON 39.77

-24.26%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$414 RON 1,874

94.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$7,254 RON 32.8K

26.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$74.3 RON 337

17.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$40.27 RON 182

47.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$94.5 RON 428

47.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$96.1 RON 435

6.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$558 RON 2,525

92.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$448 RON 2,031

45.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$932 RON 4,222

106.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$692 RON 3,135

51.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$2,998 RON 13.6K

37.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$1,996 RON 9,041

-14.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$1,203 RON 5,450

-45.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

7.18

52.37%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Iasi: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $558 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 84% higher in Iasi, 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 Iasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $224 – making Iasi 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: $1,641 in Medellin, $1,287 in Iasi – roughly 27% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,931 in Iasi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Iasi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 173% less in Iasi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $803 per month in Medellin and $414 in Iasi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Iasi, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Iasi 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 $1,287 in Iasi to $1,641 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 Iasi. 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.