Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sfantu Gheorghe Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sfantu Gheorghe

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $839 in Sfantu Gheorghe, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,355 in Sfantu Gheorghe, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,870 in Sfantu Gheorghe, rent included.

Medellin costs about 96% more than Sfantu Gheorghe, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Sfantu Gheorghe is 39% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$8.60 RON 38.95

-6.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.7K

$44.65 RON 202

8.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$7.70 RON 34.89

22.34%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,045

$2.61 RON 11.82

12.64%

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

$1.86 COP 5,738

$1.34 RON 6.08

38.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,481

$1.08 RON 4.90

35.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,887

$2.59 RON 11.75

23.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$2.25 RON 10.18

153.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,431

$1.46 RON 6.60

-1.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,393

$1.17 RON 5.29

105.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,230

$1.47 RON 6.67

15.65%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,901

$3.53 RON 15.99

-18.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 31.0K

$8.10 RON 36.72

24.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$4.80 RON 21.77

107.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$8.36 RON 37.89

69.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$1.14 RON 5.16

249.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,880

$1.63 RON 7.40

-3.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,627

$1.27 RON 5.73

69.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,082

$2.69 RON 12.17

-14.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,172

$0.70 RON 3.16

185.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,648

$0.63 RON 2.87

139.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,703

$1.08 RON 4.88

11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,948

$0.84 RON 3.80

52.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$5.14 RON 23.29

-25.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$7.67 RON 34.76

82.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,259

$0.97 RON 4.41

76.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,444

$1.10 RON 4.97

149.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,836

$0.90 RON 4.08

38.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.9K

$16.69 RON 75.6

366.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,018

$1.02 RON 4.62

28.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,684

$0.92 RON 4.19

135.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$8.62 RON 39.06

-3.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,174

$1.63 RON 7.38

-16.56%

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

$27.5K COP 84.6M

$30.1K RON 136.5K

-8.82%

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

$36.5K COP 112.5M

$26.1K RON 118.1K

40.17%

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

$169 COP 519.5K

$121 RON 547

39.82%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$9.53 RON 43.19

42.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$13.11 RON 59.4

116.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.8K

$42.20 RON 191

8.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$21.66 RON 98.1

-20.50%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$3.25 RON 14.73

104.62%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$462 RON 2,093

73.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$7,059 RON 32.0K

30.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 269.0K

$27.74 RON 126

214.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.8K

$14.43 RON 65.4

311.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.7K

$41.29 RON 187

236.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.2K

$66.4 RON 301

53.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$304 RON 1,377

252.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$224 RON 1,015

191.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$549 RON 2,486

250.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$408 RON 1,850

156.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$1,934 RON 8,761

113.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$1,396 RON 6,325

21.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$710 RON 3,218

-7.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.75

62.07%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Sfantu Gheorghe: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $304 in Sfantu Gheorghe. 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 8% higher in Sfantu Gheorghe, 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 $45.00 in Sfantu Gheorghe. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $194 – making Sfantu Gheorghe 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 Sfantu Gheorghe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 96%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,259 in Sfantu Gheorghe. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sfantu Gheorghe, 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 $45.00 in Sfantu Gheorghe. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,641 in Medellin and $839 in Sfantu Gheorghe. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sfantu Gheorghe, where all-in costs run around $839, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Sfantu Gheorghe it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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.

If budget matters most, go with Sfantu Gheorghe. 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.