Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rochester, MN and Sondrio

For one person, living is cheaper in Sondrio: $1,889 a month against $2,555 in Rochester, MN, rent and utilities included – about $8,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Rochester, MN outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Rochester, MN, United States
Sondrio, Italy
Rochester, MN
🇺🇸 United States
$2,555
/mo nomad
Sondrio
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,889
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,555 in Rochester, MN versus $1,889 in Sondrio.

  • Rochester, MN $2,555
  • Sondrio $1,889

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,909 in Rochester, MN versus $2,825 in Sondrio.

  • Rochester, MN $3,909
  • Sondrio $2,825

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,264 in Rochester, MN versus $3,760 in Sondrio.

  • Rochester, MN $5,264
  • Sondrio $3,760

Living in Rochester, MN is roughly 35% more expensive than in Sondrio, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rochester, MN 89% above, Sondrio 40% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Rochester, MN
Sondrio
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.95 $19.95
$22.23 €19.78
-10.26%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$74.5 $74.5
$56.5 €50.3
31.73%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.90 $10.90
$13.23 €11.77
-17.61%
Cappuccino
$6.05 $6.05
$2.04 €1.81
196.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.86 $2.86
$3.71 €3.30
-22.91%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.45 $2.45
$1.87 €1.67
31.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.99 $4.99
$7.18 €6.39
-30.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.70 $5.70
$6.63 €5.90
-14.03%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Rochester, MN
Sondrio
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.85 $0.85
$1.70 €1.51
-50.00%
White Bread (500g)
$2.88 $2.88
$3.16 €2.81
-8.86%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.38 $3.38
$3.32 €2.95
1.81%
Eggs
$3.64 $3.64
$4.96 €4.42
-26.61%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.27 $9.27
$14.46 €12.87
-35.89%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.35 $12.35
$14.39 €12.81
-14.18%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.77 $18.77
$22.10 €19.67
-15.07%
Apples (1kg)
$5.49 $5.49
$3.05 €2.71
80.00%
Banana (1kg)
$1.47 $1.47
$1.29 €1.15
13.95%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.43 $4.43
$3.32 €2.95
33.43%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.72 $3.72
$4.27 €3.80
-12.88%
Potato (1kg)
$2.14 $2.14
$2.38 €2.12
-10.08%
Onion (1kg)
$3.71 $3.71
$1.98 €1.76
87.37%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.66 $2.66
$1.81 €1.61
46.96%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$3.07 $3.07
$0.62 €0.55
395.16%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.19 $10.19
$7.11 €6.33
43.32%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.18 $15.18
$9.56 €8.51
58.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 $1.78
$2.05 €1.82
-13.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.94 $2.94
$2.41 €2.15
21.99%
🚌 Getting Around
Rochester, MN
Sondrio
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.02 $2.02
$1.73 €1.54
16.76%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$42.38 $42.38
$42.06 €37.43
0.76%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.02 $2.02
$7.88 €7.01
-74.37%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.21 $1.21
$1.70 €1.51
-28.82%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$19.78 $19.78
$64.5 €57.4
-69.35%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.92 $0.92
$2.15 €1.91
-57.21%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.9K $26.9K
$36.9K €32.8K
-27.03%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.3K $25.3K
$37.5K €33.3K
-32.49%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rochester, MN
Sondrio
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 $167
$252 €224
-33.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$45.91 $45.91
$10.12 €9.01
353.66%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$44.19 $44.19
$29.87 €26.58
47.94%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Rochester, MN
Sondrio
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.70 $44.70
$55.0 €48.94
-18.73%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.62 $19.62
$23.53 €20.94
-16.62%
Cinema Ticket
$9.93 $9.93
$11.00 €9.78
-9.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Rochester, MN
Sondrio
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,296 $1,296
$949 €844
36.68%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.1K $11.1K
$18.7K €16.6K
-40.83%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Rochester, MN
Sondrio
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.3 $64.3
$100 €89.1
-35.81%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$63.7 $63.7
$50.8 €45.20
25.42%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$73.2 $73.2
$118 €105
-37.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.2 $85.2
$164 €146
-48.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Rochester, MN
Sondrio
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,628 $1,628
$732 €651
122.60%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,333 $1,333
$566 €503
135.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,714 $2,714
$596 €530
355.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,485 $2,485
$901 €802
175.74%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,266 $2,266
$2,868 €2,552
-20.98%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,912 $1,912
$2,078 €1,849
-7.97%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Rochester, MN
Sondrio
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,534 $4,534
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.57
3.18
106.60%

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

Last update for Rochester, MN: November 2, 2026

Last update for Sondrio: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Rochester, MN
$1.3K
Sondrio
$566 57.6% $768
Groceries & Markets
Rochester, MN
$390
Sondrio
$381 2.4% $9.4
Eating Out
Rochester, MN
$322
Sondrio
$313 2.8% $8.9
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rochester, MN
$257
Sondrio
$292 13.6% $35
Clothing & Footwear
Rochester, MN
$129
Sondrio
$195 51.1% $66
Sport & Entertainment
Rochester, MN
$65
Sondrio
$77 19.3% $12
Getting Around
Rochester, MN
$59
Sondrio
$65 11.7% $6.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,628 in Rochester, MN and $732 in Sondrio. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $74 in Rochester, MN vs $57 in Sondrio for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $390 vs $381 per month, with Sondrio cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Rochester, MN
🇮🇹 Sondrio
🕒 Local time
03:16 3:16 AM
10:16 10:16 AM
7 h ahead of Rochester, MN
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
211,328
21,267
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

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

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

On the map
Between locations
  • Rochester, MN Sondrio 7,420 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Rochester, MN
  • Sondrio

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
Rochester, MN vs Sondrio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Rochester, MN or Sondrio?
Sondrio wins on cost – living expenses run 26% lower than in Rochester, MN. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Sondrio the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Rochester, MN and in Sondrio?
You’d need roughly $3,832 in Rochester, MN and $2,834 in Sondrio to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Rochester, MN compared to Sondrio?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,628 in Rochester, MN versus $732 in Sondrio. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Rochester, MN compared to Sondrio?
All in, you’ll spend $2,555 per month in Rochester, MN versus $1,889 in Sondrio – Sondrio is about 26% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
How do dining costs compare in Rochester, MN and in Sondrio?
Dining out is cheaper in Sondrio – a meal for two runs $57 versus $74 in Rochester, MN. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Rochester, MN or Sondrio?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Rochester, MN vs other spots: cost of living compared

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