Cost of Living Comparison Between Medias and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Medias and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,174 per month in Medias vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,802 per month in Medias vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,429 per month in Medias vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Medias is about 30% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medias sits 14% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.36 RON 56.6

$8.02 COP 25.4K

54.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.0 RON 252

$47.87 COP 152.0K

14.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.95 RON 36.43

$9.89 COP 31.4K

-19.62%

Cappuccino

$3.80 RON 17.40

$3.13 COP 9,937

21.41%

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

$2.57 RON 11.77

$1.91 COP 6,058

34.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 RON 10.80

$1.51 COP 4,794

56.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 RON 14.92

$3.12 COP 9,917

4.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 RON 16.52

$5.75 COP 18.3K

-37.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 RON 5.99

$1.44 COP 4,587

-9.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 RON 6.98

$2.49 COP 7,894

-38.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 RON 8.20

$1.77 COP 5,631

1.13%

Eggs

$3.60 RON 16.50

$2.96 COP 9,396

21.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 RON 42.14

$10.07 COP 32.0K

-8.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.38 RON 33.83

$10.12 COP 32.1K

-27.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.33 RON 61.1

$14.30 COP 45.4K

-6.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.56 RON 7.15

$4.14 COP 13.1K

-62.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 RON 7.22

$1.61 COP 5,106

-1.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.67 RON 7.64

$2.25 COP 7,129

-25.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 RON 13.04

$2.25 COP 7,150

26.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 RON 3.72

$2.04 COP 6,486

-60.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 RON 4.08

$1.54 COP 4,873

-42.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 RON 4.29

$1.17 COP 3,715

-19.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 RON 3.91

$1.31 COP 4,148

-35.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.59 RON 30.18

$3.90 COP 12.4K

68.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.68 RON 35.18

$14.01 COP 44.5K

-45.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 RON 5.82

$1.74 COP 5,534

-27.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 RON 9.14

$2.87 COP 9,112

-30.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 RON 3.45

$1.22 COP 3,858

-38.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.39 RON 103

$80.5 COP 255.5K

-72.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 RON 3.08

$1.31 COP 4,155

-48.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 RON 3.24

$2.19 COP 6,944

-67.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.95 RON 31.83

$8.71 COP 27.7K

-20.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 RON 6.55

$1.37 COP 4,334

4.38%

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

$29.8K RON 136.3K

$27.8K COP 88.4M

6.92%

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

$27.0K RON 123.7K

$35.8K COP 113.6M

-24.53%

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

$189 RON 865

$177 COP 562.9K

6.45%

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

$8.31 RON 38.05

$13.88 COP 44.1K

-40.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.69 RON 44.37

$29.72 COP 94.4K

-67.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.39 RON 180

$44.88 COP 142.5K

-12.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.47 RON 98.3

$17.12 COP 54.4K

25.41%

Cinema Ticket

$6.77 RON 31.00

$6.65 COP 21.1K

1.80%

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

$464 RON 2,126

$813 COP 2.6M

-42.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,274 RON 33.3K

$9,187 COP 29.2M

-20.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.6 RON 246

$89.5 COP 284.1K

-40.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.85 RON 169

$59.0 COP 187.2K

-37.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.0 RON 357

$138 COP 438.8K

-43.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.1 RON 436

$102 COP 324.2K

-6.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$397 RON 1,817

$1,062 COP 3.4M

-62.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$295 RON 1,352

$663 COP 2.1M

-55.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$638 RON 2,921

$1,888 COP 6.0M

-66.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 RON 2,158

$1,027 COP 3.3M

-54.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,908 RON 8,741

$4,183 COP 13.3M

-54.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,377 RON 6,309

$1,675 COP 5.3M

-17.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

10.94

-34.19%

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

Last update for Medias: September 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $397 in Medias versus $1,062 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Medias versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $236 in Medias vs $305 in Medellin – so Medias 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

Medias vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 43%, 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 $1,762 per month in Medias and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medias, 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 $55.0 in Medias and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,174 in Medias and $1,681 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medias, where all-in costs run around $1,174, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Medias it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medias – 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 Medias. 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.