Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and RΓ’Θ™nov Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and RΓ’Θ™nov

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $1,044 in RΓ’Θ™nov, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,550 in RΓ’Θ™nov, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $2,056 in RΓ’Θ™nov, rent included.

Medellin is about 1% cheaper than RΓ’Θ™nov, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and RΓ’Θ™nov are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, RΓ’Θ™nov 22% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
RΓ’Θ™nov
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.00 COPΒ 20.6K
$8.77 RONΒ 39.51
-31.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.84 COPΒ 112.5K
$39.89 RONΒ 180
-17.67%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.42 COPΒ 25.4K
$7.99 RONΒ 35.98
-7.13%
Cappuccino
$1.65 COPΒ 5,659
$2.30 RONΒ 10.38
-28.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.07 COPΒ 3,663
$1.26 RONΒ 5.67
-15.08%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.76 COPΒ 2,607
$1.15 RONΒ 5.16
-33.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.72 COPΒ 5,908
$2.24 RONΒ 10.11
-23.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.20 COPΒ 11.0K
$2.77 RONΒ 12.48
15.52%
πŸ›’ Groceries & Markets
Medellin
RΓ’Θ™nov
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.05 COPΒ 3,597
$1.55 RONΒ 7.00
-32.26%
White Bread (500g)
$1.31 COPΒ 4,479
$1.21 RONΒ 5.47
8.26%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.34 COPΒ 4,591
$1.56 RONΒ 7.04
-14.10%
Eggs
$2.19 COPΒ 7,521
$3.02 RONΒ 13.61
-27.48%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.41 COPΒ 15.1K
$8.72 RONΒ 39.25
-49.43%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.69 COPΒ 19.5K
$7.21 RONΒ 32.46
-21.08%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.52 COPΒ 29.2K
$12.17 RONΒ 54.8
-29.99%
Apples (1kg)
$2.34 COPΒ 8,023
$0.98 RONΒ 4.41
138.78%
Banana (1kg)
$1.11 COPΒ 3,804
$1.37 RONΒ 6.16
-18.98%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.52 COPΒ 5,210
$1.53 RONΒ 6.91
-0.65%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.37 COPΒ 4,680
$2.02 RONΒ 9.09
-32.18%
Potato (1kg)
$1.15 COPΒ 3,950
$0.94 RONΒ 4.25
22.34%
Onion (1kg)
$1.18 COPΒ 4,043
$0.93 RONΒ 4.19
26.88%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.84 COPΒ 2,885
$0.74 RONΒ 3.32
13.51%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.86 COPΒ 2,931
$0.74 RONΒ 3.34
16.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.26 COPΒ 7,753
$5.77 RONΒ 25.97
-60.83%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.60 COPΒ 39.8K
$7.55 RONΒ 34.00
53.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 COPΒ 4,109
$1.03 RONΒ 4.65
16.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.48 COPΒ 8,484
$1.68 RONΒ 7.55
47.62%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
RΓ’Θ™nov
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.79 COPΒ 2,721
$0.72 RONΒ 3.23
9.72%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$40.83 COPΒ 139.9K
$20.03 RONΒ 90.2
103.84%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.47 COPΒ 5,023
$0.72 RONΒ 3.23
104.17%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.92 COPΒ 6,568
$0.65 RONΒ 2.91
195.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.77 COPΒ 26.6K
$6.94 RONΒ 31.23
11.96%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.01 COPΒ 3,464
$1.64 RONΒ 7.38
-38.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.7K COPΒ 60.5M
$28.1K RONΒ 126.5K
-37.14%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K COPΒ 90.7M
$28.0K RONΒ 126.2K
-5.63%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
RΓ’Θ™nov
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$81.1 COPΒ 277.9K
$163 RONΒ 735
-50.34%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.43 COPΒ 32.3K
$8.16 RONΒ 36.75
15.56%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.86 COPΒ 81.8K
$9.08 RONΒ 40.91
162.78%
πŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
RΓ’Θ™nov
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.99 COPΒ 89.1K
$42.07 RONΒ 189
-38.22%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.71 COPΒ 64.1K
$19.43 RONΒ 87.5
-3.71%
Cinema Ticket
$4.09 COPΒ 14.0K
$5.72 RONΒ 25.74
-28.50%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
RΓ’Θ™nov
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$315 COPΒ 1.1M
$450 RONΒ 2,025
-30.06%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,022 COPΒ 20.6M
$6,496 RONΒ 29.3K
-7.30%
πŸ‘•πŸ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
RΓ’Θ™nov
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.7 COPΒ 204.6K
$72.2 RONΒ 325
-17.35%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.97 COPΒ 109.6K
$42.27 RONΒ 190
-24.37%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 COPΒ 346.9K
$95.0 RONΒ 428
6.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$105 COPΒ 360.3K
$79.9 RONΒ 360
31.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
RΓ’Θ™nov
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$485 COPΒ 1.7M
$387 RONΒ 1,743
25.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$365 COPΒ 1.3M
$285 RONΒ 1,283
28.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$827 COPΒ 2.8M
$577 RONΒ 2,598
43.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$730 COPΒ 2.5M
$440 RONΒ 1,983
65.84%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,992 COPΒ 10.3M
$1,903 RONΒ 8,572
57.20%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,314 COPΒ 4.5M
$1,373 RONΒ 6,182
-4.26%
πŸ’΅ Salaries & Financials
Medellin
RΓ’Θ™nov
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$551 COPΒ 1.9M
-
-
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: June 15, 2026

Last update for RΓ’Θ™nov: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $387 in RΓ’Θ™nov. 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 $40.00 in RΓ’Θ™nov. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $214 – 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 RΓ’Θ™nov: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is RΓ’Θ™nov cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – RΓ’Θ™nov is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,542 per month in Medellin and $1,566 in RΓ’Θ™nov. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or RΓ’Θ™nov?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $40.00 in RΓ’Θ™nov. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and cafΓ© pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin vs RΓ’Θ™nov?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,028 in Medellin and $1,044 in RΓ’Θ™nov. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Medellin or RΓ’Θ™nov?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,028, than in RΓ’Θ™nov at $1,044. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in RΓ’Θ™nov it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or RΓ’Θ™nov more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Medellin or RΓ’Θ™nov?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, RΓ’Θ™nov makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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