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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,448 per month in Boden vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,294 per month in Boden vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,141 per month in Boden vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Boden costs about 40% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Boden sits 8% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.99 SEK 193

$6.16 COP 20.1K

224.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.86 SEK 405

$32.60 COP 106.1K

28.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.72 SEK 104

$7.34 COP 23.9K

46.05%

Cappuccino

$2.06 SEK 19.90

$1.72 COP 5,600

19.77%

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

$1.67 SEK 16.12

$1.05 COP 3,420

59.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 SEK 20.88

$0.77 COP 2,515

180.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.40 SEK 52.2

$1.69 COP 5,488

219.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.26 SEK 70.2

$3.17 COP 10.3K

129.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 SEK 13.97

$1.05 COP 3,423

38.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.78 SEK 26.88

$1.30 COP 4,236

113.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 SEK 20.08

$1.40 COP 4,544

48.57%

Eggs

$2.60 SEK 25.15

$2.16 COP 7,047

20.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.32 SEK 51.4

$4.39 COP 14.3K

21.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.35 SEK 61.4

$5.88 COP 19.1K

7.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.45 SEK 62.3

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-25.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 SEK 25.15

$2.28 COP 7,426

14.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.67 SEK 25.78

$1.11 COP 3,604

140.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 SEK 25.71

$1.53 COP 4,983

73.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 SEK 43.73

$1.35 COP 4,410

234.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 SEK 14.96

$1.13 COP 3,674

37.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 SEK 10.04

$1.13 COP 3,692

-7.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 SEK 12.38

$0.85 COP 2,753

50.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 SEK 25.24

$0.91 COP 2,975

186.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.65 SEK 103

$2.34 COP 7,630

355.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.55 SEK 102

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-14.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.94 SEK 38.11

$1.20 COP 3,909

228.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 SEK 24.80

$2.49 COP 8,104

3.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.57 SEK 24.87

$0.84 COP 2,728

205.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 SEK 728

$40.57 COP 132.1K

85.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.33 SEK 51.5

$1.42 COP 4,623

275.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 SEK 15.88

$1.92 COP 6,235

-14.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.8 SEK 597

$7.66 COP 24.9K

706.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 SEK 22.35

$0.99 COP 3,223

133.33%

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

$26.2K SEK 253.5K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

45.48%

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

$26.4K SEK 255.5K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-0.74%

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

$110 SEK 1,061

$80.8 COP 263.1K

35.79%

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

$53.3 SEK 515

$9.95 COP 32.4K

435.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 SEK 519

$24.18 COP 78.7K

121.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.9 SEK 589

$25.08 COP 81.7K

142.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.58 SEK 238

$19.15 COP 62.3K

28.36%

Cinema Ticket

$13.12 SEK 127

$3.98 COP 13.0K

229.65%

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

$79.6 SEK 769

$305 COP 993.5K

-73.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,175 SEK 40.4K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-31.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$134 SEK 1,295

$58.1 COP 189.2K

130.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$78.5 SEK 759

$32.20 COP 104.8K

143.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.4 SEK 941

$101 COP 327.9K

-3.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$251 SEK 2,426

$108 COP 350.8K

132.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$938 SEK 9,069

$477 COP 1.6M

96.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$267 SEK 2,583

$376 COP 1.2M

-28.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 SEK 7,073

$845 COP 2.7M

-13.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$528 SEK 5,099

$730 COP 2.4M

-27.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,413 SEK 42.7K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

37.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,077 SEK 29.7K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

124.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,940 SEK 38.1K

$617 COP 2.0M

538.71%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $938 in Boden versus $477 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 539% 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 $42.00 in Boden versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $279 vs $193 – 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 40%, 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 $2,171 per month in Boden and $1,546 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 $1,448 in Boden and $1,031 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 86% 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 $1,031, than in Boden at $1,448. 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.