Cost of Living Comparison Between Rouen and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Rouen and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,608 per month in Rouen vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,428 per month in Rouen vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Rouen vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Rouen costs about 56% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Rouen sits 20% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Rouen
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.12 €12.08
$5.92 COP 21.4K
138.51%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$58.8 €50.4
$32.75 COP 118.2K
79.63%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.15 €8.69
$7.20 COP 26.0K
40.97%
Cappuccino
$3.29 €2.81
$1.70 COP 6,140
93.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53 €2.17
$1.10 COP 3,966
130.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 €1.51
$0.72 COP 2,605
145.83%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.45 €6.38
$1.67 COP 6,022
346.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.67 €4.86
$3.10 COP 11.2K
82.90%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Rouen
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.25 €1.07
$1.06 COP 3,809
17.92%
White Bread (500g)
$1.15 €0.98
$1.25 COP 4,497
-8.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.90 €1.63
$1.39 COP 5,022
36.69%
Eggs
$3.01 €2.58
$2.26 COP 8,168
33.19%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.82 €12.69
$4.33 COP 15.6K
242.26%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.28 €8.80
$5.84 COP 21.1K
76.03%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.08 €18.05
$8.83 COP 31.9K
138.73%
Apples (1kg)
$2.32 €1.99
$2.24 COP 8,099
3.57%
Banana (1kg)
$1.83 €1.57
$1.08 COP 3,882
69.44%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.76 €1.50
$1.53 COP 5,522
15.03%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.67 €3.14
$1.37 COP 4,950
167.88%
Potato (1kg)
$2.35 €2.01
$1.13 COP 4,078
107.96%
Onion (1kg)
$3.96 €3.39
$1.12 COP 4,036
253.57%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.77 €1.51
$0.85 COP 3,057
108.24%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.76 €0.65
$0.91 COP 3,281
-16.48%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.16 €12.12
$2.33 COP 8,414
507.73%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.37 €5.46
$11.13 COP 40.2K
-42.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.34 €2.00
$1.19 COP 4,309
96.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.70 €1.46
$2.37 COP 8,553
-28.27%
🚌 Getting Around
Rouen
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.04 €1.74
$0.79 COP 2,838
158.23%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$50.3 €43.01
$41.13 COP 148.5K
22.17%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.70 €4.02
$1.44 COP 5,184
226.39%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.95 €1.67
$1.91 COP 6,901
2.09%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$36.47 €31.21
$8.02 COP 28.9K
354.74%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.04 €1.75
$0.94 COP 3,385
117.02%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.8K €30.7K
$17.9K COP 64.7M
100.03%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.1K €32.6K
$26.8K COP 96.7M
42.13%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rouen
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 €143
$84.0 COP 303.1K
99.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.15 €24.09
$9.60 COP 34.7K
193.23%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.96 €28.21
$24.16 COP 87.2K
36.42%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Rouen
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$38.35 €32.82
$25.88 COP 93.4K
48.18%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.38 €14.87
$19.04 COP 68.7K
-8.72%
Cinema Ticket
$13.95 €11.94
$3.92 COP 14.1K
255.87%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Rouen
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$910 €779
$306 COP 1.1M
196.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,554 €7,322
$5,919 COP 21.4M
44.53%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Rouen
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$83.5 €71.5
$57.9 COP 209.1K
44.21%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.19 €21.56
$31.82 COP 114.9K
-20.84%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.4 €76.5
$99.9 COP 360.6K
-10.50%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 €88.4
$107 COP 386.8K
-3.57%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Rouen
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$577 €494
$487 COP 1.8M
18.56%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$533 €456
$368 COP 1.3M
44.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,031 €882
$826 COP 3.0M
24.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$856 €732
$716 COP 2.6M
19.48%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,015 €3,437
$2,925 COP 10.6M
37.27%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,392 €2,048
$1,407 COP 5.1M
70.02%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Rouen
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,679 €2,293
$546 COP 2.0M
391.07%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.62
13.43
-73.05%

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

Last update for Rouen: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $577 in Rouen versus $487 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 391% higher in Rouen, 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 $59.0 in Rouen versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $310 vs $190 – 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
Rouen vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Rouen?
Yes – Rouen is pricier by about 56%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,412 per month in Rouen and $1,550 in Medellin. 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 Rouen or Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Rouen and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Rouen vs Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,608 in Rouen and $1,034 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Rouen or Medellin?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Rouen at $1,608. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rouen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Rouen or Medellin 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, Rouen or Medellin?
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, Rouen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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