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: $1,638 in Bålsta versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,559 in Bålsta versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,481 in Bålsta versus $2,120 in Medellin.

Living in Bålsta is roughly 58% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bålsta is 22% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.05 SEK 121

$5.92 COP 21.5K

120.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.9 SEK 648

$32.75 COP 119.1K

113.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.48 SEK 87.9

$7.20 COP 26.2K

31.67%

Cappuccino

$4.28 SEK 39.68

$1.70 COP 6,186

151.76%

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

$2.79 SEK 25.88

$1.10 COP 3,996

153.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 SEK 22.31

$0.72 COP 2,625

234.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.19 SEK 66.7

$1.67 COP 6,067

330.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.40 SEK 68.6

$3.10 COP 11.3K

138.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 SEK 14.99

$1.06 COP 3,837

52.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 SEK 19.96

$1.25 COP 4,531

72.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.65 SEK 33.80

$1.39 COP 5,060

162.59%

Eggs

$3.71 SEK 34.43

$2.26 COP 8,229

64.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.53 SEK 107

$4.33 COP 15.8K

166.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.81 SEK 109

$5.84 COP 21.2K

102.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.55 SEK 107

$8.83 COP 32.1K

30.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 SEK 25.15

$2.24 COP 8,159

20.98%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 SEK 23.86

$1.08 COP 3,911

137.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 SEK 21.36

$1.53 COP 5,563

50.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.96 SEK 27.44

$1.37 COP 4,987

116.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 SEK 14.05

$1.13 COP 4,109

34.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 SEK 11.67

$1.12 COP 4,067

12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 SEK 14.79

$0.85 COP 3,080

88.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 SEK 9.51

$0.91 COP 3,305

13.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.32 SEK 67.9

$2.33 COP 8,477

214.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.76 SEK 99.8

$11.13 COP 40.5K

-3.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 SEK 14.37

$1.19 COP 4,342

30.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 SEK 18.39

$2.37 COP 8,617

-16.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.41 SEK 31.59

$0.79 COP 2,859

331.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.4 SEK 671

$41.13 COP 149.6K

76.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.05 SEK 56.1

$1.44 COP 5,223

320.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 SEK 11.48

$1.91 COP 6,952

-35.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$83.3 SEK 772

$8.02 COP 29.2K

938.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 SEK 17.78

$0.94 COP 3,410

104.26%

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

$32.8K SEK 303.6K

$17.9K COP 65.2M

82.77%

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

$34.8K SEK 322.2K

$26.8K COP 97.4M

29.75%

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

$52.7 SEK 488

$84.0 COP 305.4K

-37.23%

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

$20.59 SEK 191

$9.60 COP 34.9K

114.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.27 SEK 345

$24.16 COP 87.9K

54.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.89 SEK 370

$25.88 COP 94.1K

54.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.82 SEK 230

$19.04 COP 69.3K

30.36%

Cinema Ticket

$13.91 SEK 129

$3.92 COP 14.2K

254.85%

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

$125 SEK 1,156

$306 COP 1.1M

-59.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$747 SEK 6,925

$5,919 COP 21.5M

-87.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.6 SEK 673

$57.9 COP 210.6K

25.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.72 SEK 99.4

$31.82 COP 115.7K

-66.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.2 SEK 771

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-16.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 SEK 1,092

$107 COP 389.7K

9.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$855 SEK 7,926

$487 COP 1.8M

75.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$656 SEK 6,077

$368 COP 1.3M

78.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,404 SEK 13.0K

$826 COP 3.0M

70.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,078 SEK 9,989

$716 COP 2.6M

50.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,367 SEK 40.5K

$2,925 COP 10.6M

49.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,982 SEK 27.6K

$1,407 COP 5.1M

111.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,261 SEK 39.5K

$546 COP 2.0M

681.04%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $855 in Bålsta and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bålsta pays 681% 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 $307 vs $190 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 58% 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.

Bålsta pays 681% more on average, 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: $855 in Bålsta versus $487 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,638 per month in Bålsta versus $1,034 in Medellin – a 58% 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 $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,638 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 $1,034 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 58% less than in Bålsta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.