Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Targu Frumos Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Targu Frumos

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $962 in Targu Frumos, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,501 in Targu Frumos, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $2,041 in Targu Frumos, rent included.

Medellin costs about 71% more than Targu Frumos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Targu Frumos is 30% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$8.69 RON 39.36

-7.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$43.94 RON 199

9.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$8.87 RON 40.19

6.20%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$2.36 RON 10.70

24.58%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$1.51 RON 6.83

23.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$1.24 RON 5.64

17.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$1.96 RON 8.87

63.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$2.39 RON 10.83

138.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.49 RON 6.75

-3.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$1.17 RON 5.31

105.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.54 RON 6.96

10.39%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$2.94 RON 13.33

-1.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$8.23 RON 37.28

22.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$6.33 RON 28.66

57.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$10.94 RON 49.56

29.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$1.01 RON 4.57

294.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.35 RON 6.13

17.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$1.46 RON 6.60

47.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$1.90 RON 8.61

21.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$0.79 RON 3.60

153.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$0.52 RON 2.38

190.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$0.86 RON 3.91

39.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.79 RON 3.56

62.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$6.16 RON 27.91

-37.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$7.52 RON 34.05

86.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.08 RON 4.88

58.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$1.69 RON 7.67

62.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$0.76 RON 3.46

64.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$21.62 RON 97.9

260.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$0.88 RON 3.97

48.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$0.85 RON 3.86

155.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$8.10 RON 36.69

2.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.80 RON 8.17

-24.44%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$30.0K RON 135.7K

-8.31%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$26.8K RON 121.6K

36.13%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$105 RON 477

60.32%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$9.78 RON 44.28

38.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$8.44 RON 38.24

235.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$34.78 RON 158

31.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$21.76 RON 98.6

-20.86%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$6.60 RON 29.88

0.76%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$442 RON 2,000

81.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$7,364 RON 33.3K

24.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$54.7 RON 248

59.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$31.32 RON 142

89.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$78.8 RON 357

76.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$82.4 RON 373

23.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$355 RON 1,610

201.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$341 RON 1,545

91.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$579 RON 2,621

232.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$443 RON 2,006

136.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$2,060 RON 9,328

100.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$1,604 RON 7,263

5.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

7.47

46.45%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Targu Frumos: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $355 in Targu Frumos. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $44.00 in Targu Frumos. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $202 – making Targu Frumos 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 Targu Frumos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 71%, 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 $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,444 in Targu Frumos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Targu Frumos, 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 $44.00 in Targu Frumos. 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 $962 in Targu Frumos. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Targu Frumos, where all-in costs run around $962, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Targu Frumos it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Targu Frumos – 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 Targu Frumos. 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.