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: $1,958 in Boras versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,789 in Boras versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,619 in Boras versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Boras is roughly 90% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Boras is 47% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.83 SEK 124

$6.16 COP 20.1K

108.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.6 SEK 702

$32.60 COP 106.1K

122.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.63 SEK 103

$7.34 COP 23.9K

44.82%

Cappuccino

$4.37 SEK 42.20

$1.72 COP 5,600

154.07%

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

$2.22 SEK 21.49

$1.05 COP 3,420

111.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 SEK 19.98

$0.77 COP 2,515

168.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.15 SEK 78.8

$1.69 COP 5,488

382.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.42 SEK 71.8

$3.17 COP 10.3K

134.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 SEK 16.17

$1.05 COP 3,423

59.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 SEK 20.80

$1.30 COP 4,236

65.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 SEK 29.64

$1.40 COP 4,544

119.29%

Eggs

$4.48 SEK 43.30

$2.16 COP 7,047

107.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.07 SEK 126

$4.39 COP 14.3K

197.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.49 SEK 111

$5.88 COP 19.1K

95.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.85 SEK 163

$8.64 COP 28.1K

95.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 SEK 25.87

$2.28 COP 7,426

17.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 SEK 26.78

$1.11 COP 3,604

149.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.82 SEK 27.25

$1.53 COP 4,983

84.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.77 SEK 36.41

$1.35 COP 4,410

179.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 SEK 14.90

$1.13 COP 3,674

36.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 SEK 15.61

$1.13 COP 3,692

43.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 SEK 13.66

$0.85 COP 2,753

65.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 SEK 14.49

$0.91 COP 2,975

64.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.23 SEK 79.6

$2.34 COP 7,630

251.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.40 SEK 90.8

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-24.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 SEK 19.63

$1.20 COP 3,909

69.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 SEK 16.71

$2.49 COP 8,104

-30.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.74 SEK 36.11

$0.84 COP 2,728

345.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 SEK 833

$40.57 COP 132.1K

112.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.46 SEK 62.5

$1.42 COP 4,623

354.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 SEK 18.12

$1.92 COP 6,235

-2.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.5 SEK 605

$7.66 COP 24.9K

716.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 SEK 18.99

$0.99 COP 3,223

97.98%

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

$26.2K SEK 253.1K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

45.22%

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

$25.4K SEK 245.4K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-4.67%

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

$74.9 SEK 724

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-7.38%

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

$28.64 SEK 277

$9.95 COP 32.4K

187.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.88 SEK 269

$24.18 COP 78.7K

15.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.39 SEK 332

$25.08 COP 81.7K

37.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.82 SEK 230

$19.15 COP 62.3K

24.39%

Cinema Ticket

$15.85 SEK 153

$3.98 COP 13.0K

298.24%

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

$157 SEK 1,516

$305 COP 993.5K

-48.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,162 SEK 40.2K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-31.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.2 SEK 785

$58.1 COP 189.2K

39.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.45 SEK 381

$32.20 COP 104.8K

22.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.5 SEK 913

$101 COP 327.9K

-6.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 SEK 1,044

$108 COP 350.8K

0.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 SEK 8,210

$477 COP 1.6M

78.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$927 SEK 8,961

$376 COP 1.2M

146.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,384 SEK 13.4K

$845 COP 2.7M

63.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,064 SEK 10.3K

$730 COP 2.4M

45.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,480 SEK 24.0K

$617 COP 2.0M

302.05%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $849 in Boras and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Boras pays 302% 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: $73.0 in Boras vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $340 vs $193 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 90% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 302% higher in Boras, 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: $849 in Boras versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,958 per month in Boras versus $1,031 in Medellin – a 90% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 112% less than in Boras. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,958 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 90% less than in Boras. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.