Cost of Living Comparison Between Rochester, MN and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Rochester, MN and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,548 per month in Rochester, MN vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,896 per month in Rochester, MN vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,243 per month in Rochester, MN vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Rochester, MN costs about 52% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Rochester, MN and Medellin sit above the global median – Rochester, MN by 86%, Medellin by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.04 $20.04

$8.02 COP 25.5K

149.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.4 $74.4

$47.87 COP 152.0K

55.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.04 $11.04

$9.89 COP 31.4K

11.63%

Cappuccino

$6.11 $6.11

$3.13 COP 9,941

95.21%

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

$2.89 $2.89

$1.91 COP 6,061

51.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.51 COP 4,796

62.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.94 $4.94

$3.12 COP 9,921

58.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.65 $5.65

$5.75 COP 18.3K

-1.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.44 COP 4,590

-40.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.49 COP 7,898

16.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.40 $3.40

$1.77 COP 5,634

92.09%

Eggs

$3.79 $3.79

$2.96 COP 9,400

28.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.73 $9.73

$10.07 COP 32.0K

-3.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.20 $12.20

$10.12 COP 32.1K

20.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.34 $19.34

$14.30 COP 45.4K

35.24%

Apples (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$4.14 COP 13.1K

26.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.61 COP 5,109

-4.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$2.25 COP 7,132

90.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.80 $3.80

$2.25 COP 7,154

68.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.04 COP 6,489

9.80%

Onion (1kg)

$3.67 $3.67

$1.54 COP 4,876

138.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.68 $2.68

$1.17 COP 3,716

129.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.06 $3.06

$1.31 COP 4,150

133.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.04 $9.04

$3.90 COP 12.4K

131.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.82 $14.82

$14.01 COP 44.5K

5.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.74 COP 5,536

-3.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 $3.07

$2.87 COP 9,116

6.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.22 COP 3,860

68.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.90 $41.90

$80.5 COP 255.6K

-47.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.31 COP 4,157

48.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 $1.25

$2.19 COP 6,947

-42.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.15 $20.15

$8.71 COP 27.7K

131.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.37 COP 4,336

-35.04%

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

$36.1K $36.1K

$27.8K COP 88.4M

29.70%

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

$24.8K $24.8K

$35.8K COP 113.6M

-30.60%

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

$168 $168

$177 COP 563.1K

-5.20%

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

$45.33 $45.33

$13.88 COP 44.1K

226.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.23 $43.23

$29.72 COP 94.4K

45.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 $52.6

$44.88 COP 142.6K

17.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.82 $19.82

$17.12 COP 54.4K

15.77%

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$6.65 COP 21.1K

114.44%

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

$1,375 $1,375

$813 COP 2.6M

69.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K $11.8K

$9,187 COP 29.2M

28.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 $62.7

$89.5 COP 284.3K

-29.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.3 $62.3

$59.0 COP 187.3K

5.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.2 $73.2

$138 COP 439.0K

-47.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.1 $86.1

$102 COP 324.4K

-15.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,638 $1,638

$1,062 COP 3.4M

54.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,317 $1,317

$663 COP 2.1M

98.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,021 $2,021

$1,888 COP 6.0M

7.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,388 $2,388

$1,027 COP 3.3M

132.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,097 $2,097

$4,183 COP 13.3M

-49.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 $2,130

$1,675 COP 5.3M

27.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,616 $4,616

$678 COP 2.2M

581.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.03

10.94

-44.88%

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

Last update for Rochester, MN: September 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,638 in Rochester, MN 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 581% higher in Rochester, MN, 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 $74.0 in Rochester, MN versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $392 vs $305 – making Medellin 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

Rochester, MN vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rochester, MN is pricier by about 52%, 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 $3,823 per month in Rochester, MN 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 Medellin, 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 $74.0 in Rochester, MN 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 $2,548 in Rochester, MN and $1,681 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Rochester, MN at $2,548. 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, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Rochester, MN makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.