Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Nantes

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,625 a month against $1,844 in Nantes, rent and utilities included – about $2,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,625
/mo nomad
Nantes
🇫🇷 France
$1,844
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Nantes

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

A single person spends $1,625 per month in Medellin vs $1,844 in Nantes, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,625
  • Nantes $1,844

A couple spends around $2,412 per month in Medellin vs $2,846 in Nantes, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,412
  • Nantes $2,846

A family of three spends $3,199 per month in Medellin vs $3,848 in Nantes, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,199
  • Nantes $3,848

Medellin is about 12% cheaper than Nantes, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Medellin and Nantes sit above the global median – Medellin by 20%, Nantes by 36%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Nantes
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.30 COP 26.3K
$16.51 €14.68
-49.73%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.91 COP 148.7K
$56.2 €50.0
-16.55%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.24 COP 29.3K
$11.36 €10.10
-18.66%
Cappuccino
$3.05 COP 9,676
$3.67 €3.26
-16.89%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,707
$3.15 €2.80
-42.86%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 COP 4,382
$1.63 €1.45
-15.34%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.24 COP 10.3K
$8.05 €7.16
-59.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.56 COP 17.6K
$4.67 €4.15
19.06%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Nantes
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 COP 4,760
$1.18 €1.05
27.12%
White Bread (500g)
$2.37 COP 7,508
$4.12 €3.66
-42.48%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.70 COP 5,377
$3.20 €2.85
-46.88%
Eggs
$2.96 COP 9,379
$3.60 €3.20
-17.78%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.22 COP 32.4K
$25.86 €23.01
-60.48%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.74 COP 30.9K
$12.40 €11.03
-21.45%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.90 COP 44.1K
$15.81 €14.06
-12.08%
Apples (1kg)
$4.13 COP 13.1K
$3.14 €2.79
31.53%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,839
$2.59 €2.30
-40.93%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 COP 7,052
$2.90 €2.58
-23.45%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.27 COP 7,194
$2.96 €2.64
-23.31%
Potato (1kg)
$1.99 COP 6,311
$1.86 €1.65
6.99%
Onion (1kg)
$1.67 COP 5,285
$1.95 €1.73
-14.36%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.18 COP 3,742
$1.36 €1.21
-13.24%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 3,919
$0.66 €0.59
87.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.87 COP 12.3K
$14.59 €12.98
-73.47%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.78 COP 43.7K
$6.55 €5.83
110.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,256
$3.52 €3.13
-52.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 COP 7,615
$2.86 €2.55
-16.08%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Nantes
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.24 COP 3,944
$2.03 €1.81
-38.92%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$78.2 COP 248.0K
$61.9 €55.0
26.43%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.28 COP 4,044
$5.64 €5.02
-77.30%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.15 COP 6,803
$2.74 €2.44
-21.53%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.37 COP 26.5K
$36.40 €32.38
-77.01%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,288
$2.11 €1.88
-36.02%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.8K COP 110.2M
$34.2K €30.4K
1.65%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 110.0M
$38.3K €34.1K
-9.55%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Nantes
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 COP 528.4K
$165 €147
1.02%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.62 COP 43.2K
$14.33 €12.75
-4.95%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.12 COP 92.3K
$32.52 €28.93
-10.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Nantes
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.09 COP 143.0K
$28.54 €25.39
57.99%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.18 COP 54.5K
$4.54 €4.04
278.41%
Cinema Ticket
$6.97 COP 22.1K
$13.32 €11.84
-47.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Nantes
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.5M
$1,084 €964
-27.09%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,041 COP 28.7M
$19.4K €17.2K
-53.32%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Nantes
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.8 COP 278.4K
$93.3 €83.0
-5.84%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.2 COP 184.4K
$35.47 €31.55
63.94%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$139 COP 440.7K
$92.2 €82.0
50.72%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.9 COP 313.5K
$133 €118
-25.73%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Nantes
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,028 COP 3.3M
$826 €735
24.48%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$620 COP 2.0M
$665 €591
-6.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,881 COP 6.0M
$1,671 €1,486
12.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,008 COP 3.2M
$1,244 €1,106
-18.97%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,988 COP 12.6M
$5,137 €4,570
-22.37%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,702 COP 5.4M
$3,640 €3,238
-53.25%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Nantes
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$663 COP 2.1M
$2,841 €2,527
-76.65%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
3.89
181.23%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 19, 2026

Last update for Nantes: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$619
Nantes
$665 7.3% $45
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$298
Nantes
$384 28.9% $86
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$209
Nantes
$212 1.2% $2.4
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$173
Nantes
$159 7.8% $13
Eating Out
Medellin
$171
Nantes
$279 63.2% $108
Getting Around
Medellin
$95
Nantes
$89 6.1% $5.8
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$59
Nantes
$55 6.5% $3.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,028 in Medellin versus $826 in Nantes. 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 328% higher in Nantes, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Medellin versus $56.0 in Nantes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $384 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇫🇷 Nantes
🕒 Local time
08:23 8:23 AM
15:23 3:23 PM
7 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
323,204
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Nantes 8,290 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Nantes

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
Medellin vs Nantes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nantes cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Nantes is pricier by about 13%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,437 per month in Medellin and $2,765 in Nantes. 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 Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Nantes?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Medellin and $56.0 in Nantes. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Nantes?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,625 in Medellin and $1,844 in Nantes. That's a gap of about 13%.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Nantes?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,625, than in Nantes at $1,844. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nantes it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Nantes more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Medellin or Nantes?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Nantes makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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