Cost of Living Comparison Between Helsingborg and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Helsingborg and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,790 per month in Helsingborg vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,777 per month in Helsingborg vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,764 per month in Helsingborg vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Helsingborg costs about 76% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Helsingborg sits 33% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.12 SEK 152

$5.95 COP 20.6K

170.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.0 SEK 689

$33.33 COP 115.1K

119.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.36 SEK 97.8

$7.23 COP 25.0K

43.29%

Cappuccino

$4.73 SEK 44.61

$1.63 COP 5,629

190.18%

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

$2.83 SEK 26.68

$1.09 COP 3,782

159.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 SEK 25.04

$0.73 COP 2,522

263.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.40 SEK 69.8

$1.74 COP 6,003

325.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.28 SEK 59.3

$3.23 COP 11.2K

94.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 SEK 13.87

$1.05 COP 3,625

40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 SEK 23.47

$1.29 COP 4,469

93.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.72 SEK 25.63

$1.32 COP 4,570

106.06%

Eggs

$4.78 SEK 45.09

$2.27 COP 7,846

110.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 SEK 96.2

$4.35 COP 15.0K

134.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.88 SEK 112

$5.88 COP 20.3K

102.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.57 SEK 156

$8.61 COP 29.7K

92.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 SEK 25.73

$2.25 COP 7,763

21.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.84 SEK 26.79

$1.07 COP 3,695

165.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.28 SEK 30.92

$1.52 COP 5,267

115.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.79 SEK 35.80

$1.42 COP 4,914

166.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 SEK 14.00

$1.17 COP 4,042

26.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 SEK 13.45

$1.17 COP 4,035

22.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 SEK 19.26

$0.89 COP 3,064

129.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 SEK 15.82

$0.90 COP 3,114

86.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.36 SEK 69.5

$2.25 COP 7,757

227.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.54 SEK 90.0

$11.04 COP 38.1K

-13.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 SEK 22.25

$1.14 COP 3,936

107.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 SEK 16.30

$2.38 COP 8,216

-27.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.40 SEK 32.11

$0.84 COP 2,886

304.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.0 SEK 623

$41.95 COP 144.9K

57.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 SEK 29.06

$1.41 COP 4,861

118.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 SEK 14.93

$1.90 COP 6,567

-16.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.20 SEK 191

$7.75 COP 26.8K

160.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 SEK 17.99

$1.01 COP 3,473

89.11%

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

$32.7K SEK 308.9K

$17.6K COP 60.7M

86.18%

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

$34.9K SEK 329.3K

$26.5K COP 91.5M

31.70%

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

$121 SEK 1,142

$83.7 COP 289.1K

44.66%

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

$28.86 SEK 272

$9.45 COP 32.6K

205.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.85 SEK 338

$24.11 COP 83.3K

48.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.72 SEK 365

$25.31 COP 87.4K

52.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.24 SEK 210

$19.14 COP 66.1K

16.20%

Cinema Ticket

$21.17 SEK 200

$4.10 COP 14.2K

416.34%

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

$147 SEK 1,388

$312 COP 1.1M

-52.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,196 SEK 39.6K

$5,993 COP 20.7M

-29.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.0 SEK 774

$58.0 COP 200.5K

41.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.05 SEK 406

$32.56 COP 112.5K

32.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.7 SEK 809

$99.6 COP 344.1K

-13.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 SEK 1,061

$109 COP 375.0K

3.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$808 SEK 7,626

$482 COP 1.7M

67.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$643 SEK 6,068

$379 COP 1.3M

69.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,364 SEK 12.9K

$837 COP 2.9M

62.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,158 SEK 10.9K

$723 COP 2.5M

60.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,179 SEK 30.0K

$2,840 COP 9.8M

11.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,376 SEK 22.4K

$1,223 COP 4.2M

94.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,993 SEK 28.2K

$541 COP 1.9M

453.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.66

13.43

-65.30%

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

Last update for Helsingborg: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $808 in Helsingborg versus $482 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 453% higher in Helsingborg, 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 $73.0 in Helsingborg versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $342 vs $190 – 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

Helsingborg vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,790 in Helsingborg, $1,017 in Medellin – roughly 76% apart. Helsingborg costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,686 per month in Helsingborg and $1,525 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.

Public transport costs about 57% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $147 per month in Helsingborg and $312 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Helsingborg at $1,790. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Helsingborg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,017 in Medellin to $1,790 in Helsingborg. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Helsingborg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.