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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $947 per month in Roman vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,553 per month in Roman vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,158 per month in Roman vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Roman is about 44% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Roman sits 31% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.12 RON 55.5

$8.02 COP 25.4K

51.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.46 RON 162

$47.87 COP 152.0K

-25.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.93 RON 36.30

$9.89 COP 31.4K

-19.82%

Cappuccino

$2.85 RON 13.05

$3.13 COP 9,937

-8.95%

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

$1.48 RON 6.78

$1.91 COP 6,058

-22.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 RON 5.19

$1.51 COP 4,794

-25.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.30 RON 15.10

$3.12 COP 9,917

5.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 RON 10.92

$5.75 COP 18.3K

-58.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 RON 7.26

$1.44 COP 4,587

10.42%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 RON 4.21

$2.49 COP 7,894

-63.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 RON 6.87

$1.77 COP 5,631

-15.25%

Eggs

$2.93 RON 13.42

$2.96 COP 9,396

-1.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.26 RON 42.44

$10.07 COP 32.0K

-8.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 RON 30.97

$10.12 COP 32.1K

-33.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.76 RON 44.71

$14.30 COP 45.4K

-31.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.09 RON 5.00

$4.14 COP 13.1K

-73.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 RON 7.26

$1.61 COP 5,106

-1.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 RON 6.83

$2.25 COP 7,129

-33.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 RON 10.34

$2.25 COP 7,150

0.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 RON 3.56

$2.04 COP 6,486

-61.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.86 RON 3.95

$1.54 COP 4,873

-44.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 RON 4.17

$1.17 COP 3,715

-22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 RON 3.86

$1.31 COP 4,148

-35.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.65 RON 25.90

$3.90 COP 12.4K

44.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.74 RON 30.90

$14.01 COP 44.5K

-51.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 RON 5.46

$1.74 COP 5,534

-31.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 RON 7.90

$2.87 COP 9,112

-40.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 RON 3.69

$1.22 COP 3,858

-34.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.11 RON 106

$80.5 COP 255.5K

-71.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.63 RON 2.88

$1.31 COP 4,155

-51.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 RON 3.17

$2.19 COP 6,944

-68.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.94 RON 31.79

$8.71 COP 27.7K

-20.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 RON 8.45

$1.37 COP 4,334

35.04%

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

$30.2K RON 138.2K

$27.8K COP 88.4M

8.42%

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

$27.5K RON 126.0K

$35.8K COP 113.6M

-23.10%

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

$186 RON 851

$177 COP 562.9K

4.73%

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

$7.27 RON 33.30

$13.88 COP 44.1K

-47.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.83 RON 40.44

$29.72 COP 94.4K

-70.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.94 RON 183

$44.88 COP 142.5K

-11.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.48 RON 98.4

$17.12 COP 54.4K

25.47%

Cinema Ticket

$9.77 RON 44.77

$6.65 COP 21.1K

46.92%

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

$309 RON 1,416

$813 COP 2.6M

-61.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,275 RON 33.3K

$9,187 COP 29.2M

-20.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 RON 254

$89.5 COP 284.1K

-37.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.21 RON 125

$59.0 COP 187.2K

-53.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.4 RON 364

$138 COP 438.8K

-42.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.3 RON 281

$102 COP 324.2K

-39.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$225 RON 1,032

$1,062 COP 3.4M

-78.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$168 RON 772

$663 COP 2.1M

-74.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$642 RON 2,941

$1,888 COP 6.0M

-66.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 RON 2,116

$1,027 COP 3.3M

-55.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,940 RON 8,889

$4,183 COP 13.3M

-53.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,381 RON 6,327

$1,675 COP 5.3M

-17.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$866 RON 3,967

$678 COP 2.2M

27.79%

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 Roman: September 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $225 in Roman 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 28% 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 $35.00 in Roman versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $207 vs $305 – making Roman 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

Roman vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 77%, 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 $1,421 per month in Roman 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 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 $35.00 in Roman 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 $947 in Roman 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 Roman, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.