Cost of Living Comparison Between Onesti and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Onesti and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,115 per month in Onesti vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,690 per month in Onesti vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,265 per month in Onesti vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Onesti is about 34% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Onesti sits 19% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.27 RON 51.6

$8.02 COP 25.4K

40.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.42 RON 199

$47.87 COP 152.0K

-9.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 RON 34.51

$9.89 COP 31.4K

-23.86%

Cappuccino

$2.96 RON 13.56

$3.13 COP 9,937

-5.43%

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

$2.22 RON 10.18

$1.91 COP 6,058

16.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 RON 8.38

$1.51 COP 4,794

21.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.37 RON 15.45

$3.12 COP 9,917

8.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 RON 18.56

$5.75 COP 18.3K

-29.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 RON 5.04

$1.44 COP 4,587

-23.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 RON 6.28

$2.49 COP 7,894

-44.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 RON 9.41

$1.77 COP 5,631

15.82%

Eggs

$3.25 RON 14.91

$2.96 COP 9,396

9.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.71 RON 35.31

$10.07 COP 32.0K

-23.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.49 RON 29.74

$10.12 COP 32.1K

-35.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.17 RON 46.59

$14.30 COP 45.4K

-28.88%

Apples (1kg)

$1.09 RON 4.98

$4.14 COP 13.1K

-73.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 RON 7.16

$1.61 COP 5,106

-3.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 RON 8.30

$2.25 COP 7,129

-19.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 RON 10.12

$2.25 COP 7,150

-1.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.32

$2.04 COP 6,486

-53.92%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 RON 4.45

$1.54 COP 4,873

-37.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 RON 5.64

$1.17 COP 3,715

5.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 RON 2.96

$1.31 COP 4,148

-50.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.75 RON 30.92

$3.90 COP 12.4K

73.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.44 RON 24.92

$14.01 COP 44.5K

-61.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 RON 6.27

$1.74 COP 5,534

-21.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 RON 9.86

$2.87 COP 9,112

-25.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 RON 3.60

$1.22 COP 3,858

-35.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.04 RON 106

$80.5 COP 255.5K

-71.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 RON 3.95

$1.31 COP 4,155

-34.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 RON 4.23

$2.19 COP 6,944

-57.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.64 RON 39.56

$8.71 COP 27.7K

-0.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 RON 7.15

$1.37 COP 4,334

13.87%

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

$29.7K RON 136.1K

$27.8K COP 88.4M

6.73%

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

$29.3K RON 134.1K

$35.8K COP 113.6M

-18.16%

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

$190 RON 868

$177 COP 562.9K

6.91%

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

$7.78 RON 35.64

$13.88 COP 44.1K

-43.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.08 RON 41.59

$29.72 COP 94.4K

-69.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.46 RON 185

$44.88 COP 142.5K

-9.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.43 RON 98.2

$17.12 COP 54.4K

25.18%

Cinema Ticket

$9.12 RON 41.80

$6.65 COP 21.1K

37.14%

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

$411 RON 1,882

$813 COP 2.6M

-49.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,467 RON 34.2K

$9,187 COP 29.2M

-18.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.66 RON 182

$89.5 COP 284.1K

-55.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.29 RON 185

$59.0 COP 187.2K

-31.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.8 RON 444

$138 COP 438.8K

-29.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.5 RON 433

$102 COP 324.2K

-7.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 RON 1,845

$1,062 COP 3.4M

-62.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 RON 1,368

$663 COP 2.1M

-54.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$624 RON 2,857

$1,888 COP 6.0M

-66.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 RON 2,185

$1,027 COP 3.3M

-53.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,914 RON 8,767

$4,183 COP 13.3M

-54.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,400 RON 6,413

$1,675 COP 5.3M

-16.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$663 RON 3,039

$678 COP 2.2M

-2.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.18

10.94

-34.37%

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

Last update for Onesti: September 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $403 in Onesti 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.

Salaries run about 2% 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 $43.00 in Onesti versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $205 vs $305 – making Onesti 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

Onesti vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 51%, 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 $1,672 per month in Onesti 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 Onesti, 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 $43.00 in Onesti 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 $1,115 in Onesti and $1,681 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Onesti, where all-in costs run around $1,115, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Onesti it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Onesti – 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 Onesti. 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.