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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,870 per month in Boden vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,862 per month in Boden vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,854 per month in Boden vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Boden costs about 14% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Boden and Medellin sit above the global median – Boden by 36%, Medellin by 19%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.68 SEK 191

$8.04 COP 24.8K

144.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.8 SEK 774

$48.29 COP 148.6K

65.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.49 SEK 102

$9.42 COP 29.0K

11.36%

Cappuccino

$4.60 SEK 44.55

$2.94 COP 9,040

56.46%

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

$1.71 SEK 16.58

$1.86 COP 5,735

-8.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 SEK 22.42

$1.46 COP 4,479

58.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.23 SEK 70.1

$3.21 COP 9,882

125.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.55 SEK 73.2

$5.71 COP 17.6K

32.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 SEK 15.29

$1.44 COP 4,428

9.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 SEK 27.79

$2.40 COP 7,389

19.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.79 SEK 36.74

$1.70 COP 5,228

122.94%

Eggs

$4.57 SEK 44.34

$2.89 COP 8,896

58.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.68 SEK 123

$10.06 COP 30.9K

26.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.56 SEK 122

$9.97 COP 30.7K

25.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.01 SEK 175

$14.20 COP 43.7K

26.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 SEK 29.90

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-22.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.73 SEK 26.47

$1.58 COP 4,878

72.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.08 SEK 29.89

$2.15 COP 6,624

43.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 SEK 47.63

$2.30 COP 7,078

113.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 SEK 16.24

$2.00 COP 6,169

-16.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 SEK 15.76

$1.51 COP 4,646

7.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.31 SEK 22.40

$1.20 COP 3,701

92.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 SEK 14.69

$1.28 COP 3,946

18.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.84 SEK 105

$3.84 COP 11.8K

182.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.67 SEK 103

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-23.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 SEK 19.87

$1.71 COP 5,256

19.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 SEK 22.80

$2.74 COP 8,440

-14.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.53 SEK 34.20

$1.25 COP 3,834

182.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.9 SEK 735

$77.9 COP 239.7K

-2.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.09 SEK 59.1

$1.31 COP 4,016

364.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 SEK 16.06

$2.17 COP 6,680

-23.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$66.3 SEK 643

$8.29 COP 25.5K

700.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 SEK 21.10

$1.36 COP 4,172

60.29%

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

$26.0K SEK 251.6K

$27.5K COP 84.5M

-5.52%

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

$34.1K SEK 330.8K

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-6.60%

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

$110 SEK 1,064

$169 COP 519.2K

-34.95%

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

$27.39 SEK 266

$13.57 COP 41.8K

101.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.07 SEK 379

$28.32 COP 87.2K

37.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.2 SEK 573

$45.71 COP 140.7K

29.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.63 SEK 200

$17.22 COP 53.0K

19.80%

Cinema Ticket

$13.22 SEK 128

$6.65 COP 20.5K

98.80%

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

$164 SEK 1,591

$803 COP 2.5M

-79.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,241 SEK 50.8K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-42.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.3 SEK 914

$87.4 COP 268.8K

7.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.62 SEK 423

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-26.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.6 SEK 936

$139 COP 427.5K

-30.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$146 SEK 1,413

$102 COP 314.0K

42.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$938 SEK 9,093

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-12.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$607 SEK 5,886

$653 COP 2.0M

-7.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 SEK 13.7K

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-26.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,070 SEK 10.4K

$1,048 COP 3.2M

2.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,427 SEK 42.9K

$4,123 COP 12.7M

7.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,904 SEK 28.2K

$1,697 COP 5.2M

71.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,913 SEK 37.9K

$655 COP 2.0M

497.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.4

10.94

-68.92%

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

Last update for Boden: September 5, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $938 in Boden versus $1,071 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 497% 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 $80.0 in Boden versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $373 vs $300 – 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 14%, 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 $2,805 per month in Boden and $2,462 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 $1,870 in Boden and $1,641 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 3% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,641, than in Boden at $1,870. 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.