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: $1,596 in Bålsta versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,543 in Bålsta versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,490 in Bålsta versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Bålsta is roughly 59% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bålsta is 20% above, Medellin is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.40 SEK 127

$5.91 COP 18.6K

126.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.6 SEK 661

$32.96 COP 103.8K

111.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.18 SEK 87.2

$7.43 COP 23.4K

23.55%

Cappuccino

$4.17 SEK 39.60

$1.65 COP 5,207

152.73%

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

$2.69 SEK 25.54

$1.10 COP 3,468

144.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 SEK 23.47

$0.78 COP 2,458

216.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.56 SEK 71.8

$1.72 COP 5,412

339.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.43 SEK 70.6

$3.18 COP 10.0K

133.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 SEK 15.28

$1.10 COP 3,474

46.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 SEK 19.83

$1.26 COP 3,962

65.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.75 SEK 35.58

$1.38 COP 4,349

171.74%

Eggs

$3.81 SEK 36.22

$2.18 COP 6,858

74.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.47 SEK 109

$4.49 COP 14.1K

155.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.86 SEK 113

$5.79 COP 18.2K

104.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.81 SEK 112

$8.97 COP 28.2K

31.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.67 SEK 25.35

$2.32 COP 7,308

15.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 SEK 24.64

$1.06 COP 3,352

144.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 SEK 21.86

$1.52 COP 4,774

51.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.92 SEK 27.75

$1.36 COP 4,270

114.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 SEK 14.63

$1.13 COP 3,552

36.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 SEK 11.91

$1.17 COP 3,689

6.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 SEK 15.35

$0.90 COP 2,838

80.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 SEK 10.23

$0.90 COP 2,823

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.59 SEK 72.1

$2.23 COP 7,034

240.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.13 SEK 96.2

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-16.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 SEK 15.36

$1.19 COP 3,743

36.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 SEK 18.03

$2.48 COP 7,815

-23.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.47 SEK 33.01

$0.85 COP 2,687

308.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.3 SEK 696

$41.62 COP 131.0K

76.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.15 SEK 58.5

$1.42 COP 4,459

333.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 SEK 11.71

$1.95 COP 6,141

-36.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$82.5 SEK 784

$7.89 COP 24.8K

945.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 SEK 18.44

$0.99 COP 3,118

95.96%

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

$32.9K SEK 312.2K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

86.70%

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

$34.0K SEK 322.6K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

26.73%

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

$52.4 SEK 498

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-36.88%

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

$20.96 SEK 199

$9.70 COP 30.5K

116.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.17 SEK 353

$23.52 COP 74.1K

58.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.28 SEK 392

$25.26 COP 79.5K

63.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.99 SEK 237

$19.10 COP 60.1K

30.84%

Cinema Ticket

$13.88 SEK 132

$3.95 COP 12.4K

251.39%

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

$125 SEK 1,188

$316 COP 994.2K

-60.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$732 SEK 6,951

$5,975 COP 18.8M

-87.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.9 SEK 702

$60.0 COP 188.9K

23.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.41 SEK 98.9

$31.82 COP 100.2K

-67.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.8 SEK 787

$102 COP 320.1K

-18.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 SEK 1,098

$107 COP 338.3K

7.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 SEK 7,841

$475 COP 1.5M

73.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$654 SEK 6,218

$374 COP 1.2M

75.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 SEK 13.5K

$849 COP 2.7M

67.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 SEK 10.3K

$719 COP 2.3M

50.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,504 SEK 33.3K

$3,265 COP 10.3M

7.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,134 SEK 29.8K

$1,441 COP 4.5M

117.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,952 SEK 37.5K

$624 COP 2.0M

532.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-77.66%

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

Last update for Bålsta: July 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $825 in Bålsta and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bålsta pays 533% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $70.0 in Bålsta vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $308 vs $193 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

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 59% lower than in Bålsta. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 533% 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: $825 in Bålsta versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,596 per month in Bålsta versus $1,003 in Medellin – a 59% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 76% less than in Bålsta. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,596 in Bålsta, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Bålsta. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,003 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Bålsta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.