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 $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $1,036 in Targu Jiu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,614 in Targu Jiu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $2,192 in Targu Jiu, rent included.

Medellin costs about 58% more than Targu Jiu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Targu Jiu is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$14.26 RON 64.6

-43.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$61.6 RON 279

-21.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$7.54 RON 34.15

24.93%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$3.58 RON 16.23

-17.88%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$1.13 RON 5.12

64.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$2.36 RON 10.70

-38.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$3.87 RON 17.53

-17.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$4.55 RON 20.61

25.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.80 RON 8.13

-20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$1.42 RON 6.41

69.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.72 RON 7.80

-1.16%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$2.88 RON 13.02

0.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$7.96 RON 36.06

26.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$3.06 RON 13.88

225.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$7.58 RON 34.33

87.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$0.99 RON 4.47

302.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.59 RON 7.20

-0.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$1.21 RON 5.48

77.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$1.30 RON 5.90

76.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$0.82 RON 3.71

143.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$0.76 RON 3.43

98.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$0.68 RON 3.09

76.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.54 RON 2.43

137.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$5.44 RON 24.65

-29.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$3.09 RON 13.98

353.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$0.86 RON 3.89

98.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$1.12 RON 5.09

144.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$0.82 RON 3.70

52.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$20.14 RON 91.2

286.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$0.67 RON 3.04

95.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$0.69 RON 3.13

214.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$6.70 RON 30.34

23.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.58 RON 7.14

-13.92%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$30.1K RON 136.5K

-8.83%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$28.4K RON 128.4K

28.87%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$201 RON 909

-15.93%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$6.28 RON 28.43

116.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$9.92 RON 44.92

185.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$39.76 RON 180

14.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$19.70 RON 89.2

-12.59%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$8.83 RON 39.98

-24.69%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$648 RON 2,934

24.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$7,186 RON 32.5K

27.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$53.4 RON 242

63.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$26.35 RON 119

125.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$54.3 RON 246

155.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$87.3 RON 395

16.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$360 RON 1,630

197.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$250 RON 1,131

161.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$500 RON 2,267

284.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$417 RON 1,888

151.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$1,916 RON 8,679

115.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$1,268 RON 5,741

33.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$555 RON 2,515

17.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.82

60.41%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Targu Jiu: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $360 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 18% higher in Medellin, 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $62.0 in Targu Jiu. Groceries tell a different story – $300 in Medellin vs $164 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 – Medellin is pricier by about 58%, 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 $1,555 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $62.0 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 $1,641 in Medellin and $1,036 in Targu Jiu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Targu Jiu, where all-in costs run around $1,036, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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.