Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zărnești Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Zărnești

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,018 per month in Medellin vs $1,007 in Zărnești, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,609 per month in Medellin vs $1,518 in Zărnești, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,200 per month in Medellin vs $2,030 in Zărnești, rent included.

Medellin costs about 1% more than Zărnești, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Zărnești are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Zărnești 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 COP 19.1K

$8.80 RON 40.37

-32.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.12 COP 106.6K

$40.16 RON 184

-17.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.9K

$9.05 RON 41.50

-21.33%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 5,487

$2.31 RON 10.58

-25.97%

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

$1.05 COP 3,374

$1.32 RON 6.04

-20.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,324

$1.15 RON 5.26

-37.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,531

$2.21 RON 10.15

-22.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$2.84 RON 13.01

11.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,426

$1.35 RON 6.18

-21.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,215

$1.17 RON 5.39

11.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,279

$1.63 RON 7.48

-18.40%

Eggs

$2.28 COP 7,338

$2.93 RON 13.43

-22.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 COP 14.2K

$8.89 RON 40.75

-50.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 COP 19.0K

$5.15 RON 23.62

14.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.8K

$12.34 RON 56.6

-29.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 7,545

$1.03 RON 4.71

127.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,546

$1.35 RON 6.19

-18.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,724

$1.41 RON 6.46

4.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,439

$1.36 RON 6.23

1.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,774

$0.89 RON 4.09

31.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,765

$0.92 RON 4.22

27.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,905

$0.73 RON 3.36

23.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,708

$0.78 RON 3.59

7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,490

$5.65 RON 25.91

-58.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.3K

$7.42 RON 34.03

60.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,693

$1.08 RON 4.96

6.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,791

$1.35 RON 6.21

79.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,702

$0.66 RON 3.03

27.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 131.4K

$19.98 RON 91.6

104.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,541

$0.95 RON 4.34

48.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,160

$0.82 RON 3.76

132.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.2K

$7.56 RON 34.68

3.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,037

$1.60 RON 7.36

-41.25%

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

$17.8K COP 57.3M

$28.4K RON 130.2K

-37.25%

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

$27.1K COP 87.1M

$27.6K RON 126.4K

-1.77%

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

$83.3 COP 267.9K

$169 RON 773

-50.60%

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

$9.66 COP 31.1K

$7.92 RON 36.33

21.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 COP 77.9K

$9.90 RON 45.39

144.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 81.2K

$41.70 RON 191

-39.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 62.2K

$19.16 RON 87.8

0.89%

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 13.1K

$5.68 RON 26.04

-28.35%

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

$307 COP 986.5K

$422 RON 1,935

-27.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.2M

$6,960 RON 31.9K

-14.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 192.9K

$48.29 RON 221

24.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 COP 105.1K

$30.50 RON 140

7.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 325.2K

$73.1 RON 335

38.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 347.6K

$79.8 RON 366

35.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

$386 RON 1,769

23.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

$285 RON 1,308

32.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

$594 RON 2,723

37.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

$440 RON 2,017

60.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.3M

$1,728 RON 7,924

84.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.7M

$1,427 RON 6,543

1.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

$525 RON 2,408

18.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

8.17

64.38%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Last update for Zărnești: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $386 in Zărnești. 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $40.00 in Zărnești. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $192 vs $198 – making Medellin 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 Zărnești: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin 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 $1,527 per month in Medellin and $1,511 in Zărnești. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zărnești, 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 $40.00 in Zărnești. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,018 in Medellin and $1,007 in Zărnești. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zărnești, where all-in costs run around $1,007, than in Medellin at $1,018. In Zărnești it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zărnești – 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 Zărnești. 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.