Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Roman and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Roman: $842 a month against $1,692 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $10,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Roman, Romania
Medellin, Colombia
Roman
🇷🇴 Romania
$842
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,692
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Roman and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Roman and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $842 per month in Roman vs $1,692 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Roman $842
  • Medellin $1,692

A couple spends around $1,393 per month in Roman vs $2,471 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Roman $1,393
  • Medellin $2,471

A family of three spends $1,944 per month in Roman vs $3,249 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Roman $1,944
  • Medellin $3,249

Roman is about 50% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Roman sits 38% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Roman
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.46 RON 49.72
$8.34 COP 26.9K
25.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$33.05 RON 157
$46.53 COP 150.1K
-28.97%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.27 RON 34.54
$9.47 COP 30.5K
-23.23%
Cappuccino
$2.54 RON 12.06
$3.13 COP 10.1K
-18.85%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 RON 6.41
$1.77 COP 5,696
-23.73%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.04 RON 4.94
$1.42 COP 4,594
-26.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.14 RON 10.17
$3.15 COP 10.2K
-32.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.18 RON 10.36
$5.70 COP 18.4K
-61.75%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Roman
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.18 RON 5.62
$1.53 COP 4,943
-22.88%
White Bread (500g)
$0.66 RON 3.15
$2.29 COP 7,389
-71.18%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.43 RON 6.82
$1.94 COP 6,273
-26.29%
Eggs
$2.91 RON 13.84
$3.07 COP 9,889
-5.21%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.85 RON 37.32
$9.99 COP 32.2K
-21.42%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.76 RON 27.37
$10.45 COP 33.7K
-44.88%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.25 RON 39.22
$13.96 COP 45.0K
-40.90%
Apples (1kg)
$1.07 RON 5.07
$4.05 COP 13.1K
-73.58%
Banana (1kg)
$1.49 RON 7.11
$1.53 COP 4,929
-2.61%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.39 RON 6.59
$2.10 COP 6,786
-33.81%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.83 RON 8.69
$2.29 COP 7,397
-20.09%
Potato (1kg)
$0.68 RON 3.25
$2.11 COP 6,803
-67.77%
Onion (1kg)
$0.83 RON 3.94
$1.71 COP 5,512
-51.46%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.81 RON 3.86
$1.17 COP 3,774
-30.77%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.73 RON 3.45
$1.58 COP 5,096
-53.80%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.32 RON 25.27
$3.91 COP 12.6K
36.06%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.38 RON 25.59
$14.04 COP 45.3K
-61.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.96 RON 4.56
$1.76 COP 5,682
-45.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.17 RON 5.58
$2.71 COP 8,746
-56.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Roman
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.74 RON 3.53
$1.18 COP 3,805
-37.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$20.48 RON 97.4
$76.3 COP 246.0K
-73.16%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.65 RON 3.11
$1.81 COP 5,827
-64.09%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.65 RON 3.08
$2.13 COP 6,867
-69.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.36 RON 34.98
$8.13 COP 26.2K
-9.47%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.82 RON 8.66
$1.28 COP 4,113
42.19%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.3K RON 134.6K
$34.4K COP 111.1M
-17.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.7K RON 117.6K
$34.1K COP 110.1M
-27.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Roman
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$147 RON 699
$178 COP 573.2K
-17.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.70 RON 31.85
$13.89 COP 44.8K
-51.76%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.03 RON 38.18
$30.74 COP 99.1K
-73.88%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Roman
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.42 RON 178
$41.94 COP 135.3K
-10.78%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.23 RON 81.9
$16.80 COP 54.2K
2.56%
Cinema Ticket
$6.26 RON 29.73
$7.47 COP 24.1K
-16.20%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Roman
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$290 RON 1,377
$790 COP 2.5M
-63.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,433 RON 30.6K
$12.3K COP 39.7M
-47.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Roman
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$96.0 RON 456
$86.3 COP 278.4K
11.14%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.20 RON 120
$59.3 COP 191.1K
-57.48%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$61.6 RON 293
$138 COP 446.2K
-55.51%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$58.4 RON 278
$98.8 COP 318.7K
-40.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Roman
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$213 RON 1,015
$1,341 COP 4.3M
-84.08%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$159 RON 754
$667 COP 2.2M
-76.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$611 RON 2,906
$1,976 COP 6.4M
-69.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$459 RON 2,181
$1,033 COP 3.3M
-55.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,818 RON 8,643
$4,098 COP 13.2M
-55.63%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,519 RON 7,220
$1,940 COP 6.3M
-21.70%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Roman
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$828 RON 3,935
$646 COP 2.1M
28.14%
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: November 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Roman
$176
Medellin
$307 75.1% $132
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Roman
$162
Medellin
$222 37.4% $61
Eating Out
Roman
$161
Medellin
$173 7.5% $12
Accommodation & Living
Roman
$159
Medellin
$667 320% $508
Clothing & Footwear
Roman
$109
Medellin
$172 58.7% $64
Sport & Entertainment
Roman
$50
Medellin
$57 13.9% $7
Getting Around
Roman
$27
Medellin
$93 242% $66

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $213 in Roman versus $1,341 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 $33 in Roman versus $47 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $176 vs $307 – making Roman the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇷🇴 Roman
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
04:30 4:30 AM
21:30 9:30 PM
7 h behind Roman
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
80,328
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to RON – Romanian Leu Converter

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 4.75 RON (1 RON = 0.21 USD). 1 EUR = 5.35 RON (1 RON = 0.187 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 3,225 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,631 COP (10,000 COP = 2.75 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Roman Medellin 10,440 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Roman
  • Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Roman cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 101%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,264 per month in Roman and $2,538 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Roman, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $213 there versus $1,341 in Medellin.
Is eating out cheaper in Roman or in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $33 in Roman and $47 in Medellin. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Roman and in Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $842 in Roman and $1,692 in Medellin. That makes Roman about 50% cheaper.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Roman or in Medellin?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Roman, where all-in costs run around $842, than in Medellin at $1,692. In Roman it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Roman or Medellin more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
For expats, Roman is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 50% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

Roman vs other spots: cost of living compared

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