Cost of Living Comparison Between Boras and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Boras and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,947 in Boras versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,766 in Boras versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,586 in Boras versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Boras is roughly 92% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Boras is 45% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.77 SEK 120

$5.99 COP 21.4K

113.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.4 SEK 661

$32.86 COP 117.2K

114.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 SEK 100

$7.09 COP 25.3K

50.21%

Cappuccino

$4.56 SEK 42.84

$1.71 COP 6,105

166.67%

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

$2.24 SEK 21.03

$1.10 COP 3,918

103.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 SEK 20.14

$0.78 COP 2,776

174.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.94 SEK 74.6

$1.68 COP 5,987

372.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.27 SEK 68.3

$3.07 COP 10.9K

136.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 SEK 15.68

$1.09 COP 3,899

53.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 SEK 20.96

$1.26 COP 4,500

76.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.04 SEK 28.52

$1.38 COP 4,914

120.29%

Eggs

$4.50 SEK 42.28

$2.19 COP 7,813

105.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.10 SEK 123

$4.40 COP 15.7K

197.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.63 SEK 109

$5.63 COP 20.1K

106.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.39 SEK 163

$8.89 COP 31.7K

95.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 SEK 25.30

$2.34 COP 8,334

14.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 SEK 26.96

$1.06 COP 3,771

170.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.81 SEK 26.42

$1.50 COP 5,365

87.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.59 SEK 33.68

$1.38 COP 4,915

160.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 SEK 15.16

$1.15 COP 4,104

40.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 SEK 15.04

$1.16 COP 4,148

37.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 SEK 13.34

$0.89 COP 3,176

59.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 SEK 13.76

$0.84 COP 2,992

73.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.24 SEK 77.4

$2.28 COP 8,131

261.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.83 SEK 92.4

$10.64 COP 37.9K

-7.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 SEK 18.25

$1.20 COP 4,276

61.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 SEK 16.09

$2.47 COP 8,809

-30.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.73 SEK 35.05

$0.86 COP 3,051

333.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.6 SEK 813

$41.40 COP 147.6K

109.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.18 SEK 58.0

$1.47 COP 5,255

320.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 SEK 17.79

$1.96 COP 6,997

-3.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.9 SEK 600

$7.74 COP 27.6K

725.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 SEK 17.88

$0.95 COP 3,403

100.00%

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

$26.3K SEK 247.1K

$18.1K COP 64.6M

45.11%

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

$25.0K SEK 235.0K

$26.5K COP 94.4M

-5.54%

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

$75.9 SEK 713

$82.3 COP 293.2K

-7.67%

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

$28.10 SEK 264

$9.50 COP 33.9K

195.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.50 SEK 258

$24.23 COP 86.4K

13.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.14 SEK 321

$25.89 COP 92.3K

31.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.96 SEK 225

$19.00 COP 67.7K

26.11%

Cinema Ticket

$15.89 SEK 149

$3.93 COP 14.0K

304.33%

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

$160 SEK 1,506

$309 COP 1.1M

-48.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,124 SEK 38.7K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-30.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.5 SEK 766

$58.7 COP 209.1K

38.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.01 SEK 376

$32.35 COP 115.3K

23.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.3 SEK 895

$103 COP 365.7K

-7.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 SEK 1,034

$108 COP 386.5K

1.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$846 SEK 7,943

$476 COP 1.7M

77.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$902 SEK 8,475

$379 COP 1.4M

138.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,367 SEK 12.8K

$838 COP 3.0M

63.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,096 SEK 10.3K

$724 COP 2.6M

51.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 SEK 37.0K

$2,791 COP 9.9M

41.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,388 SEK 31.8K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

179.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,547 SEK 23.9K

$512 COP 1.8M

397.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

13.43

-64.26%

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

Last update for Boras: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $846 in Boras and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Boras pays 398% 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 Boras vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $343 vs $188 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

Boras vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 92% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Boras pays 398% 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: $846 in Boras versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,947 per month in Boras versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 92% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 109% less than in Boras. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,947 in Boras, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Boras. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Boras, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Boras 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 92% less than in Boras. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.