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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,812 per month in Helsingborg vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,764 per month in Helsingborg vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,715 per month in Helsingborg vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Helsingborg costs about 81% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Helsingborg sits 36% above the global median, while Medellin is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.99 SEK 152

$5.91 COP 18.6K

170.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.5 SEK 698

$32.96 COP 103.8K

122.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 SEK 101

$7.43 COP 23.4K

43.20%

Cappuccino

$4.76 SEK 45.23

$1.65 COP 5,207

188.48%

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

$2.89 SEK 27.45

$1.10 COP 3,468

162.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 SEK 26.16

$0.78 COP 2,458

252.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.60 SEK 72.2

$1.72 COP 5,412

341.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.29 SEK 59.7

$3.18 COP 10.0K

97.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 SEK 14.52

$1.10 COP 3,474

39.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 SEK 23.36

$1.26 COP 3,962

95.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.71 SEK 25.74

$1.38 COP 4,349

96.38%

Eggs

$4.66 SEK 44.25

$2.18 COP 6,858

113.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.32 SEK 98.0

$4.49 COP 14.1K

129.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.98 SEK 114

$5.79 COP 18.2K

106.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.48 SEK 157

$8.97 COP 28.2K

83.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 SEK 26.81

$2.32 COP 7,308

21.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 SEK 26.76

$1.06 COP 3,352

166.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.14 SEK 29.87

$1.52 COP 4,774

106.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.71 SEK 35.26

$1.36 COP 4,270

172.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 SEK 14.08

$1.13 COP 3,552

30.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 SEK 14.07

$1.17 COP 3,689

26.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 SEK 18.73

$0.90 COP 2,838

118.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SEK 16.25

$0.90 COP 2,823

90.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.43 SEK 70.6

$2.23 COP 7,034

233.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.56 SEK 90.8

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-21.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 SEK 22.83

$1.19 COP 3,743

101.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 SEK 15.69

$2.48 COP 7,815

-33.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.25 SEK 30.88

$0.85 COP 2,687

282.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.1 SEK 618

$41.62 COP 131.0K

56.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 SEK 30.30

$1.42 COP 4,459

124.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 SEK 15.28

$1.95 COP 6,141

-17.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.68 SEK 187

$7.89 COP 24.8K

149.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 SEK 18.48

$0.99 COP 3,118

96.97%

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

$32.5K SEK 308.5K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

84.50%

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

$33.7K SEK 319.9K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

25.66%

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

$118 SEK 1,117

$83.0 COP 261.4K

41.66%

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

$28.76 SEK 273

$9.70 COP 30.5K

196.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.40 SEK 346

$23.52 COP 74.1K

54.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.53 SEK 376

$25.26 COP 79.5K

56.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.10 SEK 210

$19.10 COP 60.1K

15.71%

Cinema Ticket

$21.41 SEK 203

$3.95 COP 12.4K

442.03%

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

$145 SEK 1,376

$316 COP 994.2K

-54.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,127 SEK 39.2K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

-30.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.1 SEK 799

$60.0 COP 188.9K

40.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.79 SEK 416

$31.82 COP 100.2K

37.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.5 SEK 822

$102 COP 320.1K

-14.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 SEK 1,066

$107 COP 338.3K

4.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$836 SEK 7,938

$475 COP 1.5M

75.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$661 SEK 6,275

$374 COP 1.2M

76.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,341 SEK 12.7K

$849 COP 2.7M

57.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,135 SEK 10.8K

$719 COP 2.3M

57.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,150 SEK 29.9K

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-3.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,351 SEK 22.3K

$1,441 COP 4.5M

63.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,952 SEK 28.0K

$624 COP 2.0M

372.81%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $836 in Helsingborg versus $475 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 373% 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 $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

Helsingborg vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,812 in Helsingborg, $1,003 in Medellin – roughly 81% apart. Helsingborg costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,718 per month in Helsingborg and $1,504 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 56% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $145 per month in Helsingborg and $316 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 $1,003, than in Helsingborg at $1,812. 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 $1,003 in Medellin to $1,812 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.