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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $996 per month in Roman vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,472 per month in Roman vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,949 per month in Roman vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Roman is about 2% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Roman and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Roman 26% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.39 RON 56.1

$5.95 COP 20.8K

108.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.00 RON 127

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-15.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 RON 35.48

$7.23 COP 25.2K

8.44%

Cappuccino

$3.36 RON 15.21

$1.63 COP 5,687

106.13%

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

$1.12 RON 5.07

$1.09 COP 3,821

2.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 RON 9.44

$0.73 COP 2,548

186.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 RON 14.26

$1.74 COP 6,065

81.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 RON 10.63

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-27.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 RON 6.71

$1.05 COP 3,662

40.95%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 RON 4.29

$1.29 COP 4,515

-26.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 RON 7.44

$1.32 COP 4,617

24.24%

Eggs

$3.02 RON 13.68

$2.27 COP 7,927

33.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.71 RON 39.42

$4.35 COP 15.2K

100.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.82 RON 30.86

$5.88 COP 20.5K

15.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.29 RON 51.1

$8.61 COP 30.0K

31.13%

Apples (1kg)

$0.95 RON 4.32

$2.25 COP 7,844

-57.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 RON 6.69

$1.07 COP 3,733

38.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 RON 6.70

$1.52 COP 5,322

-2.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.22 RON 10.06

$1.42 COP 4,964

56.34%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 RON 3.49

$1.17 COP 4,084

-34.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 RON 4.65

$1.17 COP 4,077

-11.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 RON 4.21

$0.89 COP 3,096

4.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 RON 3.82

$0.90 COP 3,146

-5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.74 RON 25.95

$2.25 COP 7,837

155.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.66 RON 30.12

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-39.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 RON 5.18

$1.14 COP 3,977

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 RON 7.43

$2.38 COP 8,301

-31.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 RON 3.27

$0.84 COP 2,916

-14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.68 RON 89.0

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-53.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 RON 3.24

$1.41 COP 4,912

-48.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 RON 2.97

$1.90 COP 6,634

-65.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.74 RON 30.48

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-13.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 RON 7.58

$1.01 COP 3,509

66.34%

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

$28.3K RON 128.1K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

61.14%

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

$28.0K RON 126.4K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

5.51%

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

$90.6 RON 410

$83.7 COP 292.1K

8.28%

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

$3.47 RON 15.70

$9.45 COP 33.0K

-63.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.69 RON 25.76

$24.11 COP 84.1K

-76.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.72 RON 189

$25.31 COP 88.3K

64.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.99 RON 85.9

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-0.78%

Cinema Ticket

$10.76 RON 48.66

$4.10 COP 14.3K

162.44%

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

$328 RON 1,482

$312 COP 1.1M

5.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,627 RON 30.0K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

10.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.3 RON 305

$58.0 COP 202.6K

15.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.09 RON 77.3

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-47.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.6 RON 437

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-3.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$34.85 RON 158

$109 COP 378.8K

-67.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 RON 1,749

$482 COP 1.7M

-19.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 RON 1,293

$379 COP 1.3M

-24.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$577 RON 2,608

$837 COP 2.9M

-31.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$441 RON 1,993

$723 COP 2.5M

-39.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,070 RON 9,365

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-27.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,266 RON 5,725

$1,223 COP 4.3M

3.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$854 RON 3,863

$541 COP 1.9M

57.88%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $387 in Roman versus $482 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 58% 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 – $208 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 2%, 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 $1,494 per month in Roman and $1,525 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 $996 in Roman and $1,017 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 $996, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.