Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Roman Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Roman

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $996 in Roman, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,472 in Roman, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,949 in Roman, rent included.

Medellin costs about 2% more than Roman, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Roman are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Roman 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$12.39 RON 56.1

-51.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$28.00 RON 127

19.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.84 RON 35.48

-7.78%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$3.36 RON 15.21

-51.49%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.12 RON 5.07

-2.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$2.09 RON 9.44

-65.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$3.15 RON 14.26

-44.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.35 RON 10.63

37.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.48 RON 6.71

-29.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.95 RON 4.29

35.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.64 RON 7.44

-19.51%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$3.02 RON 13.68

-24.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$8.71 RON 39.42

-50.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.82 RON 30.86

-13.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$11.29 RON 51.1

-23.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$0.95 RON 4.32

136.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.48 RON 6.69

-27.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.48 RON 6.70

2.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$2.22 RON 10.06

-36.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.77 RON 3.49

51.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.03 RON 4.65

13.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.93 RON 4.21

-4.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.85 RON 3.82

5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$5.74 RON 25.95

-60.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$6.66 RON 30.12

65.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.14 RON 5.18

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.64 RON 7.43

45.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.72 RON 3.27

16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$19.68 RON 89.0

113.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.72 RON 3.24

95.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.66 RON 2.97

187.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$6.74 RON 30.48

14.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.68 RON 7.58

-39.88%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$28.3K RON 128.1K

-37.94%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$28.0K RON 126.4K

-5.22%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$90.6 RON 410

-7.65%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$3.47 RON 15.70

172.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$5.69 RON 25.76

323.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$41.72 RON 189

-39.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$18.99 RON 85.9

0.79%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$10.76 RON 48.66

-61.90%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$328 RON 1,482

-4.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$6,627 RON 30.0K

-9.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$67.3 RON 305

-13.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$17.09 RON 77.3

90.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$96.6 RON 437

3.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$34.85 RON 158

211.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$387 RON 1,749

24.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$286 RON 1,293

32.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$577 RON 2,608

45.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$441 RON 1,993

64.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$2,070 RON 9,365

37.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,266 RON 5,725

-3.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$854 RON 3,863

-36.66%

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 8, 2026

Last update for Roman: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $387 in Roman. 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 58% higher in Roman, 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $28.00 in Roman. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $208 in Roman – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Roman: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin 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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,494 in Roman. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $28.00 in Roman. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,017 in Medellin and $996 in Roman. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Roman, where all-in costs run around $996, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Roman it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Roman. 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.