Cost of Living Comparison Between Bålsta and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Bålsta and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,619 in Bålsta versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,516 in Bålsta versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,413 in Bålsta versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Bålsta costs roughly 4% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bålsta 18% above, Medellin 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.12 SEK 139

$8.02 COP 25.0K

76.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.5 SEK 665

$47.87 COP 149.4K

41.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.05 SEK 89.2

$9.89 COP 30.8K

-8.49%

Cappuccino

$4.13 SEK 40.75

$3.13 COP 9,767

31.95%

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

$2.76 SEK 27.22

$1.91 COP 5,954

44.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 SEK 22.07

$1.51 COP 4,712

48.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.50 SEK 73.9

$3.12 COP 9,747

140.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.43 SEK 73.2

$5.75 COP 17.9K

29.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 SEK 15.61

$1.44 COP 4,509

9.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.02 SEK 19.95

$2.49 COP 7,759

-18.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.59 SEK 35.37

$1.77 COP 5,535

102.82%

Eggs

$3.73 SEK 36.79

$2.96 COP 9,235

26.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.52 SEK 114

$10.07 COP 31.4K

14.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.47 SEK 123

$10.12 COP 31.6K

23.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.53 SEK 114

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-19.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 SEK 26.16

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-35.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 SEK 27.34

$1.61 COP 5,019

72.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 SEK 21.01

$2.25 COP 7,007

-5.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.90 SEK 28.55

$2.25 COP 7,028

28.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 SEK 14.47

$2.04 COP 6,375

-27.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 SEK 12.66

$1.54 COP 4,790

-16.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 SEK 15.55

$1.17 COP 3,651

35.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 SEK 9.94

$1.31 COP 4,077

-22.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.26 SEK 71.6

$3.90 COP 12.2K

86.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.21 SEK 101

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-27.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 SEK 15.54

$1.74 COP 5,439

-9.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 SEK 21.10

$2.87 COP 8,956

-25.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.42 SEK 33.73

$1.22 COP 3,792

180.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.7 SEK 805

$80.5 COP 251.1K

1.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.31 SEK 62.2

$1.31 COP 4,084

381.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 SEK 15.21

$2.19 COP 6,825

-29.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$79.6 SEK 784

$8.71 COP 27.2K

813.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 SEK 17.88

$1.37 COP 4,260

32.12%

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

$34.8K SEK 343.0K

$27.8K COP 86.9M

25.03%

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

$33.9K SEK 333.7K

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-5.33%

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

$51.4 SEK 506

$177 COP 553.2K

-71.03%

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

$20.63 SEK 203

$13.88 COP 43.3K

48.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.94 SEK 403

$29.72 COP 92.8K

37.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.69 SEK 391

$44.88 COP 140.1K

-11.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.10 SEK 257

$17.12 COP 53.4K

52.45%

Cinema Ticket

$13.79 SEK 136

$6.65 COP 20.7K

107.37%

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

$126 SEK 1,245

$813 COP 2.5M

-84.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,266 SEK 51.9K

$9,187 COP 28.7M

-42.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.8 SEK 727

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-17.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.48 SEK 103

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-82.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.7 SEK 825

$138 COP 431.2K

-39.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 SEK 1,131

$102 COP 318.7K

12.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$831 SEK 8,191

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-21.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$605 SEK 5,964

$663 COP 2.1M

-8.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,417 SEK 14.0K

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-24.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,041 SEK 10.3K

$1,027 COP 3.2M

1.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,263 SEK 42.0K

$4,183 COP 13.1M

1.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,890 SEK 28.5K

$1,675 COP 5.2M

72.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,987 SEK 39.3K

$678 COP 2.1M

488.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-72.58%

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

Last update for Bålsta: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $831 in Bålsta and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bålsta pays 488% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $68.0 in Bålsta vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $308 vs $305 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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

Bålsta vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bålsta wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bålsta the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 488% higher in Bålsta, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $831 in Bålsta versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,619 per month in Bålsta versus $1,681 in Medellin – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bålsta runs roughly 2% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,619 in Bålsta versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bålsta but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Bålsta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bålsta delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,619 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bålsta hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bålsta and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bålsta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.