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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,770 per month in Helsingborg vs $1,014 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,788 per month in Helsingborg vs $1,596 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,807 per month in Helsingborg vs $2,178 in Medellin, rent included.

Helsingborg costs about 74% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Helsingborg sits 31% above the global median, while Medellin is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.88 SEK 146

$6.14 COP 22.2K

158.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.8 SEK 678

$33.05 COP 119.3K

123.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.72 SEK 98.5

$7.32 COP 26.4K

46.45%

Cappuccino

$4.71 SEK 43.27

$1.66 COP 5,987

183.73%

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

$2.83 SEK 25.99

$1.10 COP 3,987

157.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 SEK 24.35

$0.78 COP 2,822

239.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.40 SEK 68.1

$1.71 COP 6,188

332.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.31 SEK 58.0

$3.17 COP 11.5K

99.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 SEK 14.05

$1.11 COP 4,012

37.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 SEK 22.76

$1.31 COP 4,719

89.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.59 SEK 23.84

$1.38 COP 4,980

87.68%

Eggs

$4.72 SEK 43.34

$2.22 COP 8,009

112.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.45 SEK 96.0

$4.34 COP 15.7K

140.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.83 SEK 109

$5.80 COP 20.9K

103.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.43 SEK 151

$8.98 COP 32.4K

82.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 SEK 25.45

$2.26 COP 8,164

22.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 SEK 25.28

$1.11 COP 4,023

147.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 SEK 28.74

$1.46 COP 5,284

114.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.84 SEK 35.32

$1.37 COP 4,929

180.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 SEK 13.82

$1.11 COP 4,009

35.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 SEK 13.62

$1.16 COP 4,199

27.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 SEK 18.55

$0.89 COP 3,211

126.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 SEK 15.62

$0.87 COP 3,124

95.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.37 SEK 67.7

$2.35 COP 8,495

213.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.57 SEK 97.2

$10.86 COP 39.2K

-2.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 SEK 21.48

$1.20 COP 4,330

95.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 SEK 15.97

$2.48 COP 8,946

-29.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.40 SEK 31.25

$0.79 COP 2,842

330.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.9 SEK 596

$40.77 COP 147.2K

59.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 SEK 28.92

$1.42 COP 5,137

121.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 SEK 15.17

$1.91 COP 6,900

-13.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.98 SEK 184

$7.65 COP 27.6K

161.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 SEK 17.50

$0.97 COP 3,490

95.88%

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

$32.8K SEK 301.4K

$18.1K COP 65.3M

81.24%

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

$34.0K SEK 312.4K

$26.3K COP 95.0M

29.23%

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

$119 SEK 1,097

$81.3 COP 293.5K

46.77%

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

$28.14 SEK 259

$9.63 COP 34.8K

192.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.76 SEK 329

$24.36 COP 88.0K

46.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.54 SEK 363

$26.02 COP 93.9K

51.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.16 SEK 204

$18.92 COP 68.3K

17.12%

Cinema Ticket

$21.26 SEK 195

$3.89 COP 14.0K

446.53%

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

$146 SEK 1,343

$304 COP 1.1M

-51.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,061 SEK 37.3K

$5,902 COP 21.3M

-31.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.6 SEK 749

$58.7 COP 211.8K

38.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.01 SEK 395

$32.48 COP 117.2K

32.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 SEK 781

$102 COP 367.3K

-16.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 SEK 1,040

$108 COP 390.4K

4.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 SEK 7,450

$474 COP 1.7M

70.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$643 SEK 5,905

$371 COP 1.3M

73.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,341 SEK 12.3K

$848 COP 3.1M

58.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,139 SEK 10.5K

$716 COP 2.6M

58.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,309 SEK 30.4K

$2,871 COP 10.4M

15.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,470 SEK 22.7K

$1,375 COP 5.0M

79.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,116 SEK 28.6K

$542 COP 2.0M

475.39%

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: April 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $811 in Helsingborg versus $474 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 475% 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 $74 in Helsingborg versus $33 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $343 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: $1,770 in Helsingborg, $1,014 in Medellin – roughly 74% apart. Helsingborg costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,654 per month in Helsingborg and $1,522 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 59% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $146 per month in Helsingborg and $304 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 $1,014, than in Helsingborg at $1,770. 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 $1,014 in Medellin to $1,770 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.