Cost of Living Comparison Between Boden and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Boden and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,453 per month in Boden vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,298 per month in Boden vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,143 per month in Boden vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Boden costs about 43% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Boden sits 8% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.45 SEK 181

$5.99 COP 21.4K

224.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.92 SEK 400

$32.86 COP 117.4K

30.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.50 SEK 98.0

$7.09 COP 25.3K

48.10%

Cappuccino

$2.13 SEK 19.85

$1.71 COP 6,115

24.56%

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

$1.71 SEK 15.95

$1.10 COP 3,924

55.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 SEK 19.29

$0.78 COP 2,781

165.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.16 SEK 48.11

$1.68 COP 5,997

207.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.53 SEK 70.2

$3.07 COP 11.0K

145.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 SEK 12.89

$1.09 COP 3,906

26.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 SEK 26.97

$1.26 COP 4,508

129.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 SEK 19.25

$1.38 COP 4,922

49.28%

Eggs

$2.67 SEK 24.93

$2.19 COP 7,827

21.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.31 SEK 49.56

$4.40 COP 15.7K

20.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.20 SEK 57.9

$5.63 COP 20.1K

10.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.16 SEK 57.5

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-30.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 SEK 25.32

$2.34 COP 8,349

15.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.67 SEK 24.91

$1.06 COP 3,777

151.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.65 SEK 24.77

$1.50 COP 5,374

76.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.55 SEK 42.45

$1.38 COP 4,924

229.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 SEK 14.51

$1.15 COP 4,111

34.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 SEK 9.52

$1.16 COP 4,155

-12.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 SEK 11.97

$0.89 COP 3,182

43.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 SEK 23.90

$0.84 COP 2,997

204.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.97 SEK 102

$2.28 COP 8,145

381.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.46 SEK 97.6

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-1.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.97 SEK 37.09

$1.20 COP 4,284

230.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 SEK 25.28

$2.47 COP 8,824

9.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.63 SEK 24.52

$0.86 COP 3,056

205.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 SEK 677

$41.40 COP 147.9K

75.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.19 SEK 48.46

$1.47 COP 5,264

253.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 SEK 15.49

$1.96 COP 7,009

-15.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.1 SEK 570

$7.74 COP 27.6K

688.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.23 SEK 20.80

$0.95 COP 3,409

134.74%

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

$26.7K SEK 249.2K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

47.30%

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

$26.5K SEK 247.5K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

0.15%

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

$111 SEK 1,032

$82.3 COP 293.7K

34.46%

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

$52.5 SEK 490

$9.50 COP 33.9K

452.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 SEK 486

$24.23 COP 86.5K

115.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.1 SEK 579

$25.89 COP 92.4K

139.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.60 SEK 229

$19.00 COP 67.9K

29.47%

Cinema Ticket

$13.14 SEK 123

$3.93 COP 14.0K

234.35%

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

$79.0 SEK 737

$309 COP 1.1M

-74.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,095 SEK 38.2K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-31.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$131 SEK 1,227

$58.7 COP 209.5K

124.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$78.8 SEK 735

$32.35 COP 115.5K

143.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.5 SEK 919

$103 COP 366.4K

-3.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$246 SEK 2,292

$108 COP 387.2K

126.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$959 SEK 8,946

$476 COP 1.7M

101.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$261 SEK 2,435

$379 COP 1.4M

-31.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$734 SEK 6,846

$838 COP 3.0M

-12.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$519 SEK 4,844

$724 COP 2.6M

-28.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,875 SEK 36.2K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

38.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,975 SEK 27.8K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

145.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,027 SEK 37.6K

$512 COP 1.8M

686.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-70.22%

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

Last update for Boden: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $959 in Boden versus $476 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 687% higher in Boden, 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 $43.00 in Boden versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $279 vs $188 – 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

Boden vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Boden is pricier by about 43%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,179 per month in Boden and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,453 in Boden and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 75% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Boden at $1,453. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Boden it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Boden makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.