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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $947 in Roman, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,553 in Roman, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,158 in Roman, rent included.

Medellin costs about 77% more than Roman, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Roman is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$12.12 RON 55.5

-33.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$35.46 RON 162

35.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$7.93 RON 36.30

24.72%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$2.85 RON 13.05

9.82%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$1.48 RON 6.78

29.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$1.13 RON 5.19

33.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$3.30 RON 15.10

-5.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$2.38 RON 10.92

141.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$1.59 RON 7.26

-9.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$0.92 RON 4.21

170.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$1.50 RON 6.87

18.00%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$2.93 RON 13.42

1.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$9.26 RON 42.44

8.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$6.76 RON 30.97

49.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$9.76 RON 44.71

46.52%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$1.09 RON 5.00

279.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$1.59 RON 7.26

1.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$1.49 RON 6.83

51.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$2.26 RON 10.34

-0.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$0.78 RON 3.56

161.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$0.86 RON 3.95

79.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$0.91 RON 4.17

28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.84 RON 3.86

55.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$5.65 RON 25.90

-30.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$6.74 RON 30.90

107.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$1.19 RON 5.46

46.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$1.72 RON 7.90

66.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$0.80 RON 3.69

52.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

$23.11 RON 106

248.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$0.63 RON 2.88

107.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$0.69 RON 3.17

217.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$6.94 RON 31.79

25.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.85 RON 8.45

-25.95%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$30.2K RON 138.2K

-7.76%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$27.5K RON 126.0K

30.04%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$186 RON 851

-4.52%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$7.27 RON 33.30

90.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$8.83 RON 40.44

236.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$39.94 RON 183

12.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

$21.48 RON 98.4

-20.30%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$9.77 RON 44.77

-31.93%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$309 RON 1,416

163.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$7,275 RON 33.3K

26.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$55.5 RON 254

61.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$27.21 RON 125

116.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$79.4 RON 364

74.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$61.3 RON 281

66.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$225 RON 1,032

371.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$168 RON 772

293.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$642 RON 2,941

194.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$462 RON 2,116

122.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$1,940 RON 8,889

115.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,381 RON 6,327

21.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

$866 RON 3,967

-21.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

7.2

51.94%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Roman: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $225 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 28% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $35.00 in Roman. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $207 – making Roman 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 Roman: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 77%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,421 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $35.00 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $947 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 $947, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.