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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $983 in Roman, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,490 in Roman, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,998 in Roman, rent included.

Medellin costs about 5% more than Roman, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Roman are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Roman 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$12.10 RON 52.7

-51.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$27.98 RON 122

17.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.90 RON 34.44

-8.86%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$3.51 RON 15.29

-51.57%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.18 RON 5.13

-6.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$2.08 RON 9.06

-65.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$3.16 RON 13.80

-47.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.32 RON 10.10

33.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.53 RON 6.69

-30.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.90 RON 3.91

38.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.59 RON 6.94

-12.58%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$3.13 RON 13.63

-27.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$8.68 RON 37.83

-50.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$7.16 RON 31.23

-18.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$11.70 RON 51.0

-24.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$0.96 RON 4.19

133.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.54 RON 6.73

-29.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.52 RON 6.63

0.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$2.25 RON 9.82

-39.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.84 RON 3.68

34.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.02 RON 4.43

9.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.88 RON 3.84

-3.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.78 RON 3.41

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$5.74 RON 25.03

-59.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$6.86 RON 29.89

62.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.09 RON 4.76

9.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.73 RON 7.56

36.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.72 RON 3.12

9.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$20.13 RON 87.8

104.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.70 RON 3.07

105.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.60 RON 2.61

218.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$6.80 RON 29.64

17.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.67 RON 7.27

-43.71%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$28.3K RON 123.4K

-36.69%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$27.6K RON 120.3K

-2.91%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$93.4 RON 407

-10.07%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$3.55 RON 15.47

170.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$5.82 RON 25.35

315.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$41.67 RON 182

-37.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$19.16 RON 83.6

-0.63%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$11.12 RON 48.47

-64.75%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$327 RON 1,428

-6.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$6,466 RON 28.2K

-8.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$68.1 RON 297

-14.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$17.31 RON 75.5

83.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$96.0 RON 419

4.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$34.81 RON 152

207.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$382 RON 1,666

27.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$291 RON 1,268

26.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$587 RON 2,559

40.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$430 RON 1,873

66.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,672 RON 7,289

74.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,534 RON 6,689

-8.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$911 RON 3,973

-40.13%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Roman: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $382 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 67% 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 $212 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 5%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,474 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 $1,034 in Medellin and $983 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 $983, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.