Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Turda Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Turda

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,118 in Turda, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,707 in Turda, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,297 in Turda, rent included.

Medellin costs about 50% more than Turda, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Turda is 18% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$13.33 RON 61.1

-39.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$33.98 RON 156

40.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$8.71 RON 39.92

13.55%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$2.89 RON 13.26

8.30%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$1.92 RON 8.81

-0.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$1.41 RON 6.46

7.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$2.26 RON 10.37

38.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$2.27 RON 10.41

153.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.59 RON 7.30

-9.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$1.49 RON 6.84

67.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$1.62 RON 7.44

9.26%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$2.93 RON 13.44

1.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$6.46 RON 29.61

55.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$6.91 RON 31.68

46.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$12.42 RON 56.9

15.14%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$1.20 RON 5.52

245.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$1.55 RON 7.11

3.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$1.38 RON 6.32

63.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$2.55 RON 11.69

-11.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$0.98 RON 4.51

108.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$1.04 RON 4.76

48.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$0.98 RON 4.47

19.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$1.03 RON 4.70

27.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$5.44 RON 24.96

-28.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$7.63 RON 35.00

83.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$1.36 RON 6.22

27.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$1.74 RON 8.00

64.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$1.30 RON 5.97

-6.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$22.77 RON 104

253.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$0.80 RON 3.68

63.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$0.81 RON 3.71

170.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$6.20 RON 28.43

40.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$1.77 RON 8.12

-22.60%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$29.8K RON 136.4K

-6.44%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$26.4K RON 121.0K

35.48%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$166 RON 759

7.03%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$8.76 RON 40.16

58.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$10.47 RON 48.00

183.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$39.34 RON 180

14.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

$19.56 RON 89.7

-12.47%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$10.00 RON 45.86

-33.50%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$625 RON 2,865

30.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$6,662 RON 30.5K

37.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$44.10 RON 202

102.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$44.61 RON 205

32.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$106 RON 485

30.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$116 RON 532

-12.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$404 RON 1,852

162.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$299 RON 1,372

121.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$636 RON 2,914

197.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$472 RON 2,166

117.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$1,890 RON 8,666

121.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,338 RON 6,134

25.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$760 RON 3,483

-10.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.8

60.88%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Turda: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $404 in Turda. 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 Turda, 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 $34.00 in Turda. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $221 – making Turda 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 Turda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 50%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,677 in Turda. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Turda, 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 $34.00 in Turda. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $1,118 in Turda. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Turda, where all-in costs run around $1,118, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Turda it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Turda – 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 Turda. 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.