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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $994 in Roman, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,472 in Roman, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,950 in Roman, rent included.

Medellin costs about 1% more than Roman, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Roman are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Roman 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$12.34 RON 56.1

-52.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$27.51 RON 125

19.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$7.96 RON 36.20

-6.66%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$3.35 RON 15.24

-50.75%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.14 RON 5.18

-3.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$2.08 RON 9.45

-62.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$3.20 RON 14.53

-46.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.32 RON 10.53

37.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.50 RON 6.81

-26.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.89 RON 4.05

41.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.59 RON 7.22

-13.21%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.97 RON 13.48

-26.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$8.90 RON 40.45

-49.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$6.87 RON 31.24

-15.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$11.32 RON 51.5

-20.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$0.91 RON 4.12

154.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.54 RON 7.02

-31.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.48 RON 6.72

2.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$2.23 RON 10.13

-39.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.80 RON 3.63

41.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.01 RON 4.60

15.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.94 RON 4.26

-4.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.85 RON 3.86

5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$5.79 RON 26.31

-61.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$6.54 RON 29.73

85.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.15 RON 5.22

3.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.71 RON 7.76

45.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.70 RON 3.20

21.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$19.96 RON 90.7

108.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.67 RON 3.04

111.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.61 RON 2.75

219.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$6.88 RON 31.28

14.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.66 RON 7.53

-40.36%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$28.1K RON 127.9K

-37.45%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$27.4K RON 124.7K

-2.29%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$93.4 RON 425

-11.16%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$3.40 RON 15.46

185.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$5.60 RON 25.47

320.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$40.66 RON 185

-37.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$19.35 RON 88.0

-1.29%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$10.99 RON 49.94

-64.06%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$325 RON 1,477

-2.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$6,589 RON 30.0K

-9.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$67.6 RON 307

-11.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$17.61 RON 80.1

80.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$95.9 RON 436

6.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$33.92 RON 154

216.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$388 RON 1,765

22.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$290 RON 1,320

28.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$581 RON 2,643

46.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$444 RON 2,017

62.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$2,229 RON 10.1K

46.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,357 RON 6,168

6.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$859 RON 3,907

-27.33%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Roman: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $388 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 38% 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 – $193 in Medellin vs $209 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 1%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,490 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 $1,003 in Medellin and $994 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 $994, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.