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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $994 per month in Roman vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,472 per month in Roman vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,950 per month in Roman vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Roman is about 1% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Roman and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Roman 25% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.34 RON 56.1

$5.91 COP 18.6K

108.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.51 RON 125

$32.96 COP 103.8K

-16.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.96 RON 36.20

$7.43 COP 23.4K

7.13%

Cappuccino

$3.35 RON 15.24

$1.65 COP 5,207

103.03%

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

$1.14 RON 5.18

$1.10 COP 3,468

3.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 RON 9.45

$0.78 COP 2,458

166.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.20 RON 14.53

$1.72 COP 5,412

86.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 RON 10.53

$3.18 COP 10.0K

-27.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 RON 6.81

$1.10 COP 3,474

36.36%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 RON 4.05

$1.26 COP 3,962

-29.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 RON 7.22

$1.38 COP 4,349

15.22%

Eggs

$2.97 RON 13.48

$2.18 COP 6,858

36.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.90 RON 40.45

$4.49 COP 14.1K

98.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.87 RON 31.24

$5.79 COP 18.2K

18.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.32 RON 51.5

$8.97 COP 28.2K

26.20%

Apples (1kg)

$0.91 RON 4.12

$2.32 COP 7,308

-60.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 RON 7.02

$1.06 COP 3,352

45.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 RON 6.72

$1.52 COP 4,774

-2.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 RON 10.13

$1.36 COP 4,270

63.97%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 RON 3.63

$1.13 COP 3,552

-29.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 RON 4.60

$1.17 COP 3,689

-13.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 RON 4.26

$0.90 COP 2,838

4.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 RON 3.86

$0.90 COP 2,823

-5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.79 RON 26.31

$2.23 COP 7,034

159.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.54 RON 29.73

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-46.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 RON 5.22

$1.19 COP 3,743

-3.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 RON 7.76

$2.48 COP 7,815

-31.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 RON 3.20

$0.85 COP 2,687

-17.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.96 RON 90.7

$41.62 COP 131.0K

-52.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 RON 3.04

$1.42 COP 4,459

-52.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 RON 2.75

$1.95 COP 6,141

-68.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.88 RON 31.28

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-12.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.53

$0.99 COP 3,118

67.68%

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

$28.1K RON 127.9K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

59.86%

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

$27.4K RON 124.7K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

2.35%

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

$93.4 RON 425

$83.0 COP 261.4K

12.56%

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

$3.40 RON 15.46

$9.70 COP 30.5K

-64.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.60 RON 25.47

$23.52 COP 74.1K

-76.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.66 RON 185

$25.26 COP 79.5K

60.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.35 RON 88.0

$19.10 COP 60.1K

1.31%

Cinema Ticket

$10.99 RON 49.94

$3.95 COP 12.4K

178.23%

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

$325 RON 1,477

$316 COP 994.2K

2.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,589 RON 30.0K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

10.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.6 RON 307

$60.0 COP 188.9K

12.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.61 RON 80.1

$31.82 COP 100.2K

-44.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.9 RON 436

$102 COP 320.1K

-5.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.92 RON 154

$107 COP 338.3K

-68.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 RON 1,765

$475 COP 1.5M

-18.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 RON 1,320

$374 COP 1.2M

-22.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$581 RON 2,643

$849 COP 2.7M

-31.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$444 RON 2,017

$719 COP 2.3M

-38.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,229 RON 10.1K

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-31.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,357 RON 6,168

$1,441 COP 4.5M

-5.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$859 RON 3,907

$624 COP 2.0M

37.60%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $388 in Roman versus $475 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 38% 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 – $209 in Roman vs $193 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 1%, 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 $1,490 per month in Roman and $1,504 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 $994 in Roman and $1,003 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 $994, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.