Cost of Living Comparison Between Roman and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Roman and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $983 per month in Roman vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,490 per month in Roman vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,998 per month in Roman vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Roman is about 5% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Roman and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Roman 27% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.10 RON 52.6

$5.92 COP 21.5K

104.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.98 RON 122

$32.75 COP 119.1K

-14.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.90 RON 34.36

$7.20 COP 26.2K

9.72%

Cappuccino

$3.51 RON 15.25

$1.70 COP 6,186

106.47%

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

$1.18 RON 5.12

$1.10 COP 3,996

7.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 RON 9.04

$0.72 COP 2,625

188.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.16 RON 13.76

$1.67 COP 6,067

89.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 RON 10.08

$3.10 COP 11.3K

-25.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 RON 6.67

$1.06 COP 3,837

44.34%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 RON 3.90

$1.25 COP 4,531

-28.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 RON 6.92

$1.39 COP 5,060

14.39%

Eggs

$3.13 RON 13.60

$2.26 COP 8,229

38.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.68 RON 37.75

$4.33 COP 15.8K

100.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.16 RON 31.16

$5.84 COP 21.2K

22.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.70 RON 50.9

$8.83 COP 32.1K

32.50%

Apples (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.18

$2.24 COP 8,159

-57.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 RON 6.71

$1.08 COP 3,911

42.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 RON 6.62

$1.53 COP 5,563

-0.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 RON 9.80

$1.37 COP 4,987

64.23%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 RON 3.68

$1.13 COP 4,109

-25.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.42

$1.12 COP 4,067

-8.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 RON 3.83

$0.85 COP 3,080

3.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 RON 3.40

$0.91 COP 3,305

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.74 RON 24.97

$2.33 COP 8,477

146.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.86 RON 29.82

$11.13 COP 40.5K

-38.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 RON 4.75

$1.19 COP 4,342

-8.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 RON 7.54

$2.37 COP 8,617

-27.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 RON 3.11

$0.79 COP 2,859

-8.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.13 RON 87.6

$41.13 COP 149.6K

-51.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 RON 3.06

$1.44 COP 5,223

-51.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 RON 2.61

$1.91 COP 6,952

-68.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.80 RON 29.57

$8.02 COP 29.2K

-15.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 RON 7.26

$0.94 COP 3,410

77.66%

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

$28.3K RON 123.1K

$17.9K COP 65.2M

57.96%

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

$27.6K RON 120.0K

$26.8K COP 97.4M

3.00%

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

$93.4 RON 406

$84.0 COP 305.4K

11.20%

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

$3.55 RON 15.43

$9.60 COP 34.9K

-63.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.82 RON 25.30

$24.16 COP 87.9K

-75.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.67 RON 181

$25.88 COP 94.1K

61.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.16 RON 83.4

$19.04 COP 69.3K

0.63%

Cinema Ticket

$11.12 RON 48.36

$3.92 COP 14.2K

183.67%

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

$327 RON 1,425

$306 COP 1.1M

6.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,466 RON 28.1K

$5,919 COP 21.5M

9.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.1 RON 296

$57.9 COP 210.6K

17.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.31 RON 75.3

$31.82 COP 115.7K

-45.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 RON 418

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-3.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$34.81 RON 151

$107 COP 389.7K

-67.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$382 RON 1,662

$487 COP 1.8M

-21.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$291 RON 1,265

$368 COP 1.3M

-21.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$587 RON 2,554

$826 COP 3.0M

-28.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$430 RON 1,869

$716 COP 2.6M

-40.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,672 RON 7,272

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-42.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,534 RON 6,674

$1,407 COP 5.1M

9.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$911 RON 3,964

$546 COP 2.0M

67.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.7

13.43

-42.67%

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

Last update for Roman: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $382 in Roman versus $487 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 67% higher in Roman, 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 $28.00 in Roman versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $212 in Roman vs $190 in Medellin – so Medellin 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

Roman vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 5%, 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 $1,474 per month in Roman and $1,550 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Roman, 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 $28.00 in Roman and $33.00 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 $983 in Roman and $1,034 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 Roman, where all-in costs run around $983, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Roman it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Roman – 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 Roman. 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.