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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,018 per month in Medellin vs $1,013 in Targu Jiu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,609 per month in Medellin vs $1,622 in Targu Jiu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,200 per month in Medellin vs $2,231 in Targu Jiu, rent included.

Medellin and Targu Jiu have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Medellin and Targu Jiu are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Targu Jiu 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 COP 19.1K

$13.84 RON 63.4

-57.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.12 COP 106.5K

$67.8 RON 310

-51.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.9K

$8.12 RON 37.19

-12.32%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 5,484

$3.32 RON 15.18

-48.49%

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

$1.05 COP 3,373

$1.13 RON 5.15

-7.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,323

$2.40 RON 11.00

-70.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,529

$3.35 RON 15.33

-48.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$3.96 RON 18.15

-19.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,425

$1.77 RON 8.11

-40.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,213

$1.42 RON 6.50

-7.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,277

$1.85 RON 8.48

-28.11%

Eggs

$2.28 COP 7,334

$3.02 RON 13.83

-24.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 COP 14.2K

$7.97 RON 36.47

-44.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 COP 19.0K

$3.16 RON 14.46

87.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.8K

$7.69 RON 35.20

12.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 7,541

$1.02 RON 4.68

129.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,544

$1.57 RON 7.21

-29.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,721

$1.30 RON 5.97

13.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,437

$1.40 RON 6.42

-1.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,772

$0.90 RON 4.14

30.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,763

$0.98 RON 4.48

19.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,904

$0.66 RON 3.02

36.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,707

$0.60 RON 2.74

40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,486

$5.66 RON 25.92

-58.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.3K

$3.12 RON 14.30

282.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,692

$0.96 RON 4.39

19.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,787

$1.17 RON 5.34

106.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,700

$0.70 RON 3.21

20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 131.3K

$19.96 RON 91.4

104.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,539

$0.67 RON 3.07

110.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,157

$0.61 RON 2.77

213.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.2K

$6.73 RON 30.83

16.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,035

$1.69 RON 7.73

-44.38%

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

$17.8K COP 57.3M

$29.2K RON 133.6K

-38.95%

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

$27.1K COP 87.1M

$30.7K RON 140.6K

-11.80%

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

$83.3 COP 267.8K

$178 RON 814

-53.16%

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

$9.66 COP 31.1K

$6.63 RON 30.35

45.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 COP 77.9K

$10.21 RON 46.75

137.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 81.1K

$40.73 RON 187

-38.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 62.2K

$19.42 RON 88.9

-0.46%

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 13.1K

$9.23 RON 42.25

-55.90%

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

$307 COP 986.0K

$657 RON 3,009

-53.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.2M

$14.8K RON 67.6K

-59.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 192.8K

$54.2 RON 248

10.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 COP 105.0K

$28.00 RON 128

16.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 325.1K

$57.3 RON 262

76.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 347.5K

$93.9 RON 430

15.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

$376 RON 1,721

26.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

$255 RON 1,167

48.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

$521 RON 2,385

56.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

$432 RON 1,980

63.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.3M

$2,646 RON 12.1K

20.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

$554 RON 2,535

12.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

7.1

89.15%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Last update for Targu Jiu: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $376 in Targu Jiu. 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 12% higher in Medellin. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $68.0 in Targu Jiu. Groceries tell a different story – $192 in Medellin vs $169 in Targu Jiu – so Targu Jiu 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 Targu Jiu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,527 per month in Medellin and $1,520 in Targu Jiu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Targu Jiu, 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 $68.0 in Targu Jiu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 105% less in Targu Jiu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Targu Jiu, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Medellin at $1,018. In Targu Jiu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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