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 $1,030 per month in Medellin vs $1,039 in Targu Jiu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,627 in Targu Jiu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,214 in Targu Jiu, rent included.

Medellin is about 1% cheaper than Targu Jiu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Targu Jiu are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Targu Jiu 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.2K

$13.93 RON 60.5

-57.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 COP 118.7K

$68.5 RON 297

-51.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 COP 25.9K

$8.09 RON 35.10

-10.38%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,137

$3.44 RON 14.93

-50.29%

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

$1.09 COP 3,915

$1.17 RON 5.07

-6.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,743

$2.29 RON 9.94

-66.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 COP 6,254

$3.52 RON 15.29

-50.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 11.4K

$3.85 RON 16.71

-17.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,792

$1.75 RON 7.58

-39.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,657

$1.43 RON 6.20

-9.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,926

$1.92 RON 8.32

-28.13%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,908

$3.08 RON 13.38

-28.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 COP 16.2K

$7.97 RON 34.59

-43.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.7K

$3.30 RON 14.31

75.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 32.1K

$8.05 RON 34.95

11.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 COP 8,182

$1.02 RON 4.43

124.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,791

$1.64 RON 7.14

-35.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 5,411

$1.25 RON 5.41

20.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,869

$1.37 RON 5.93

-0.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,146

$0.94 RON 4.08

23.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,174

$0.96 RON 4.17

21.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,960

$0.70 RON 3.06

18.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 3,043

$0.56 RON 2.45

51.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,423

$5.66 RON 24.55

-58.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 COP 39.7K

$3.24 RON 14.06

242.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,133

$0.94 RON 4.06

22.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,853

$1.12 RON 4.86

120.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,827

$0.72 RON 3.11

9.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

$19.69 RON 85.4

112.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,140

$0.70 RON 3.05

105.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,793

$0.61 RON 2.64

211.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 COP 27.6K

$7.01 RON 30.42

9.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,680

$1.67 RON 7.25

-38.32%

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

$17.7K COP 63.3M

$28.8K RON 125.2K

-38.69%

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

$27.0K COP 96.7M

$29.9K RON 129.8K

-9.66%

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

$81.4 COP 291.4K

$178 RON 771

-54.16%

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

$9.42 COP 33.7K

$6.41 RON 27.82

46.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.77 COP 85.1K

$10.25 RON 44.49

131.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 92.6K

$41.67 RON 181

-37.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

$19.38 RON 84.1

-0.21%

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 14.5K

$9.38 RON 40.71

-56.82%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$670 RON 2,906

-53.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,067 COP 21.7M

$14.5K RON 63.0K

-58.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 210.7K

$55.8 RON 242

5.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 117.5K

$27.14 RON 118

20.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 359.6K

$56.8 RON 247

76.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 380.3K

$93.7 RON 407

13.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.8M

$375 RON 1,627

30.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$250 RON 1,084

48.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$527 RON 2,287

59.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

$440 RON 1,911

62.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

$2,788 RON 12.1K

5.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

$565 RON 2,454

-5.92%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Targu Jiu: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Medellin versus $375 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 6% higher in Targu Jiu, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33 in Medellin versus $68 in Targu Jiu. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $171 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

Yes – Targu Jiu 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 $1,544 per month in Medellin and $1,559 in Targu Jiu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,030 in Medellin and $1,039 in Targu Jiu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,030, than in Targu Jiu at $1,039. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Targu Jiu it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Targu Jiu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.