Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Rochester, MN

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,692 a month against $2,555 in Rochester, MN, rent and utilities included – about $10,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

80

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index
122

Cost of Living Index in Rochester, MN
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Rochester, MN Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,692

/mo nomad

Rochester, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,555

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Rochester, MN

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 Rochester, MN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,692 per month in Medellin vs $2,555 in Rochester, MN, rent included.

Medellin $1,692
Rochester, MN $2,555

A couple spends around $2,471 per month in Medellin vs $3,909 in Rochester, MN, rent included.

Medellin $2,471
Rochester, MN $3,909

A family of three spends $3,249 per month in Medellin vs $5,264 in Rochester, MN, rent included.

Medellin $3,249
Rochester, MN $5,264

Medellin is about 34% cheaper than Rochester, MN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Medellin and Rochester, MN sit above the global median – Medellin by 25%, Rochester, MN by 89%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.34 COP 26.8K

$19.95 $19.95

-58.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.53 COP 149.7K

$74.5 $74.5

-37.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.47 COP 30.5K

$10.90 $10.90

-13.12%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 10.1K

$6.05 $6.05

-48.26%

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

$1.77 COP 5,681

$2.86 $2.86

-38.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 COP 4,582

$2.45 $2.45

-42.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 COP 10.1K

$4.99 $4.99

-36.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.70 COP 18.3K

$5.70 $5.70

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 COP 4,930

$0.85 $0.85

80.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.29 COP 7,370

$2.88 $2.88

-20.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 COP 6,257

$3.38 $3.38

-42.60%

Eggs

$3.07 COP 9,864

$3.64 $3.64

-15.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.99 COP 32.1K

$9.27 $9.27

7.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 COP 33.6K

$12.35 $12.35

-15.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.96 COP 44.9K

$18.77 $18.77

-25.63%

Apples (1kg)

$4.05 COP 13.0K

$5.49 $5.49

-26.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,916

$1.47 $1.47

4.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 COP 6,769

$4.43 $4.43

-52.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 COP 7,378

$3.72 $3.72

-38.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 COP 6,785

$2.14 $2.14

-1.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 COP 5,498

$3.71 $3.71

-53.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,764

$2.66 $2.66

-56.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 5,083

$3.07 $3.07

-48.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.91 COP 12.6K

$10.19 $10.19

-61.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.04 COP 45.2K

$15.18 $15.18

-7.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 COP 5,667

$1.78 $1.78

-1.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 COP 8,724

$2.94 $2.94

-7.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,795

$2.02 $2.02

-41.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.3 COP 245.4K

$42.38 $42.38

80.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 COP 5,812

$2.02 $2.02

-10.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,849

$1.21 $1.21

76.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.13 COP 26.2K

$19.78 $19.78

-58.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 COP 4,102

$0.92 $0.92

39.13%

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

$34.4K COP 110.8M

$26.9K $26.9K

27.98%

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

$34.1K COP 109.8M

$25.3K $25.3K

34.95%

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

$178 COP 571.7K

$167 $167

6.52%

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

$13.89 COP 44.7K

$45.91 $45.91

-69.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.74 COP 98.9K

$44.19 $44.19

-30.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.94 COP 134.9K

$44.70 $44.70

-6.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 COP 54.0K

$19.62 $19.62

-14.37%

Cinema Ticket

$7.47 COP 24.0K

$9.93 $9.93

-24.77%

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

$790 COP 2.5M

$1,296 $1,296

-39.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K COP 39.6M

$11.1K $11.1K

11.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.3 COP 277.7K

$64.3 $64.3

34.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 COP 190.6K

$63.7 $63.7

-6.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 445.0K

$73.2 $73.2

89.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.8 COP 317.8K

$85.2 $85.2

15.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,341 COP 4.3M

$1,628 $1,628

-17.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$667 COP 2.1M

$1,333 $1,333

-49.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,976 COP 6.4M

$2,714 $2,714

-27.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,033 COP 3.3M

$2,485 $2,485

-58.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,098 COP 13.2M

$2,266 $2,266

80.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,940 COP 6.2M

$1,912 $1,912

1.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$646 COP 2.1M

$4,534 $4,534

-85.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.57

66.51%

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

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Last update for Rochester, MN: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$667 39.4%

Rochester, MN

$1.3K 52.2% 99.9% $666

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$307 18.2%

Rochester, MN

$390 15.3% 27% $83

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$222 13.1%

Rochester, MN

$257 10.1% 15.6% $35

Eating Out

Medellin

$173 10.2%

Rochester, MN

$322 12.6% 86.8% $150

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$172 10.2%

Rochester, MN

$129 5% 25.2% $43

Getting Around

Medellin

$93 5.5%

Rochester, MN

$59 2.3% 37.4% $35

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$57 3.4%

Rochester, MN

$65 2.5% 13.5% $7.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,341 in Medellin versus $1,628 in Rochester, MN. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Rochester, MN are about 7 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $74 in Rochester, MN. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $307 vs $390 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇺🇸 Rochester, MN

🕒 Local time

08:34 8:34 AM

07:34 7:34 AM

1 h behind Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

211,328

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.11 USD

10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 3,217 COP (10,000 COP = 3.11 USD). 1 EUR = 3,615 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

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Between locations

Medellin Rochester, MN 4,510 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Rochester, MN

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 Rochester, MN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rochester, MN is pricier by about 51%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,538 per month in Medellin and $3,832 in Rochester, MN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,341 there versus $1,628 in Rochester, MN.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $74 in Rochester, MN. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,692 in Medellin and $2,555 in Rochester, MN. That makes Medellin about 34% cheaper.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,692, than in Rochester, MN at $2,555. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rochester, MN it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Rochester, MN makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.