Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint-Etienne and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Saint-Etienne: $1,436 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Medellin outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Saint-Etienne, France
Medellin, Colombia
Saint-Etienne
🇫🇷 France
$1,436
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Saint-Etienne and in Medellin

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

A single person spends $1,436 per month in Saint-Etienne vs $1,639 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Saint-Etienne $1,436
  • Medellin $1,639

A couple spends around $2,264 per month in Saint-Etienne vs $2,413 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Saint-Etienne $2,264
  • Medellin $2,413

A family of three spends $3,092 per month in Saint-Etienne vs $3,186 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Saint-Etienne $3,092
  • Medellin $3,186

Saint-Etienne is about 12% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Saint-Etienne and Medellin sit above the global median – Saint-Etienne by 6%, Medellin by 20%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Saint-Etienne
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.56 €14.88
$8.09 COP 25.4K
104.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$56.7 €50.9
$47.05 COP 148.0K
20.40%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.54 €12.16
$9.50 COP 29.9K
42.53%
Cappuccino
$2.07 €1.86
$3.01 COP 9,485
-31.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.42 €3.07
$1.80 COP 5,660
90.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.70 €1.53
$1.41 COP 4,443
20.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.07 €4.55
$3.18 COP 9,990
59.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 €5.16
$5.75 COP 18.1K
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Saint-Etienne
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.29 €1.15
$1.51 COP 4,751
-14.57%
White Bread (500g)
$1.10 €0.99
$2.38 COP 7,480
-53.78%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.09 €1.88
$1.77 COP 5,573
18.08%
Eggs
$3.05 €2.74
$2.89 COP 9,093
5.54%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.01 €15.28
$10.19 COP 32.1K
66.93%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.17 €10.04
$9.87 COP 31.1K
13.17%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.35 €14.69
$13.99 COP 44.0K
16.87%
Apples (1kg)
$3.27 €2.94
$3.97 COP 12.5K
-17.63%
Banana (1kg)
$2.54 €2.28
$1.55 COP 4,883
63.87%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.45 €2.20
$2.18 COP 6,867
12.39%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.71 €2.43
$2.18 COP 6,870
24.31%
Potato (1kg)
$1.57 €1.41
$1.96 COP 6,174
-19.90%
Onion (1kg)
$1.73 €1.55
$1.59 COP 5,000
8.81%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.10 €0.99
$1.15 COP 3,604
-4.35%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.30 €2.07
$1.24 COP 3,911
85.48%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.15 €10.91
$3.96 COP 12.5K
206.82%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.14 €9.11
$13.68 COP 43.0K
-25.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.32 €2.99
$1.66 COP 5,222
100.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.26 €2.93
$2.26 COP 7,104
44.25%
🚌 Getting Around
Saint-Etienne
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.81 €1.62
$1.17 COP 3,674
54.70%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$39.87 €35.82
$77.4 COP 243.4K
-48.47%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.83 €2.54
$1.27 COP 3,989
122.83%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$2.05 COP 6,442
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$8.55 COP 26.9K
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.11 €1.89
$1.35 COP 4,237
56.30%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.1K €18.0K
$34.1K COP 107.2M
-41.05%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.0K €28.7K
$34.7K COP 109.1M
-7.77%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Saint-Etienne
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$164 €148
$170 COP 533.7K
-3.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.01 €26.07
$13.55 COP 42.6K
114.10%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.04 €17.11
$28.07 COP 88.3K
-32.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Saint-Etienne
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$29.86 €26.83
$43.70 COP 137.5K
-31.67%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.61 €5.94
$17.19 COP 54.1K
-61.55%
Cinema Ticket
$9.89 €8.88
$6.91 COP 21.7K
43.13%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Saint-Etienne
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$996 €895
$797 COP 2.5M
24.97%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.8K €14.2K
$9,112 COP 28.7M
73.41%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Saint-Etienne
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$72.1 €64.8
$84.7 COP 266.5K
-14.85%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.47 €27.38
$58.0 COP 182.3K
-47.43%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 €92.3
$135 COP 424.6K
-23.89%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$151 €135
$97.9 COP 307.9K
53.97%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Saint-Etienne
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$515 €463
$1,208 COP 3.8M
-57.33%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$370 €332
$642 COP 2.0M
-42.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$873 €785
$2,028 COP 6.4M
-56.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$716 €643
$1,012 COP 3.2M
-29.21%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,677 €1,506
$4,170 COP 13.1M
-59.80%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,619 €1,455
$1,910 COP 6.0M
-15.25%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Saint-Etienne
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,255 €2,026
$657 COP 2.1M
243.19%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.67
10.94
-66.45%

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

Last update for Saint-Etienne: October 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Saint-Etienne
$370
Medellin
$642 73.4% $272
Groceries & Markets
Saint-Etienne
$339
Medellin
$297 12.4% $42
Eating Out
Saint-Etienne
$255
Medellin
$170 33.6% $86
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Saint-Etienne
$212
Medellin
$211 0.5% $1.1
Clothing & Footwear
Saint-Etienne
$160
Medellin
$169 5.5% $8.8
Getting Around
Saint-Etienne
$50 *
Medellin
$94 87.4% $44
Sport & Entertainment
Saint-Etienne
$50
Medellin
$58 15.9% $7.9

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $515 in Saint-Etienne versus $1,208 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 in Saint-Etienne are about 3.4 times higher, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $57 in Saint-Etienne versus $47 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $339 vs $297 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇫🇷 Saint-Etienne
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
17:07 5:07 PM
11:07 11:07 AM
6 h behind Saint-Etienne
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
172,718
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 3,146 COP (10,000 COP = 3.18 USD). 1 EUR = 3,501 COP (10,000 COP = 2.86 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Saint-Etienne Medellin 8,730 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Saint-Etienne
  • Medellin

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
Saint-Etienne vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Saint-Etienne cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 14%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,154 per month in Saint-Etienne and $2,459 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 Saint-Etienne, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $515 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.
Is eating out cheaper in Saint-Etienne or in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $57 in Saint-Etienne and $47 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 Saint-Etienne and in Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,436 in Saint-Etienne and $1,639 in Medellin. That’s a gap of about 14%.
Is it better to live in Saint-Etienne or in Medellin?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,436 in Saint-Etienne to $1,639 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Saint-Etienne vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?