Cost of Living Comparison Between Kalmar and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Kalmar and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,926 per month in Kalmar vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,839 per month in Kalmar vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,751 per month in Kalmar vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Kalmar costs about 87% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Kalmar sits 44% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.76 SEK 152

$6.16 COP 20.1K

155.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.7 SEK 722

$32.60 COP 106.1K

129.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.34 SEK 100.0

$7.34 COP 23.9K

40.87%

Cappuccino

$4.68 SEK 45.19

$1.72 COP 5,600

172.09%

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

$2.81 SEK 27.19

$1.05 COP 3,420

167.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 SEK 26.42

$0.77 COP 2,515

254.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.90 SEK 95.7

$1.69 COP 5,488

485.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.59 SEK 73.3

$3.17 COP 10.3K

139.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 SEK 14.55

$1.05 COP 3,423

42.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 SEK 23.95

$1.30 COP 4,236

90.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.71 SEK 26.23

$1.40 COP 4,544

93.57%

Eggs

$4.88 SEK 47.18

$2.16 COP 7,047

125.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.18 SEK 98.4

$4.39 COP 14.3K

131.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.54 SEK 112

$5.88 COP 19.1K

96.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.07 SEK 155

$8.64 COP 28.1K

86.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.67 SEK 25.80

$2.28 COP 7,426

17.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.73 SEK 26.44

$1.11 COP 3,604

145.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.17 SEK 30.63

$1.53 COP 4,983

107.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.78 SEK 36.54

$1.35 COP 4,410

180.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 SEK 14.36

$1.13 COP 3,674

31.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 SEK 22.49

$1.13 COP 3,692

106.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 SEK 20.01

$0.85 COP 2,753

143.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 SEK 16.21

$0.91 COP 2,975

84.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.12 SEK 68.8

$2.34 COP 7,630

204.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.11 SEK 88.1

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-26.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 SEK 19.37

$1.20 COP 3,909

66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 SEK 16.58

$2.49 COP 8,104

-30.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 SEK 28.82

$0.84 COP 2,728

254.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.1 SEK 842

$40.57 COP 132.1K

114.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.08 SEK 68.5

$1.42 COP 4,623

398.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 SEK 15.40

$1.92 COP 6,235

-17.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.6 SEK 509

$7.66 COP 24.9K

586.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 SEK 18.42

$0.99 COP 3,223

92.93%

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

$27.6K SEK 266.5K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

52.90%

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

$28.1K SEK 271.5K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

5.50%

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

$117 SEK 1,129

$80.8 COP 263.1K

44.52%

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

$28.56 SEK 276

$9.95 COP 32.4K

187.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.64 SEK 296

$24.18 COP 78.7K

26.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.77 SEK 288

$25.08 COP 81.7K

18.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.73 SEK 152

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-17.86%

Cinema Ticket

$14.39 SEK 139

$3.98 COP 13.0K

261.56%

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

$146 SEK 1,410

$305 COP 993.5K

-52.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,077 SEK 39.4K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-32.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.2 SEK 621

$58.1 COP 189.2K

10.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.00 SEK 203

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-34.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.4 SEK 584

$101 COP 327.9K

-40.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 SEK 734

$108 COP 350.8K

-29.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 SEK 9,154

$477 COP 1.6M

98.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$812 SEK 7,845

$376 COP 1.2M

115.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,363 SEK 13.2K

$845 COP 2.7M

61.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 SEK 11.6K

$730 COP 2.4M

64.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,262 SEK 41.2K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

32.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,835 SEK 27.4K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

106.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,928 SEK 28.3K

$617 COP 2.0M

374.69%

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 Kalmar: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Kalmar versus $477 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 375% higher in Kalmar, 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 $75.0 in Kalmar versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $337 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

Kalmar vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,926 in Kalmar, $1,031 in Medellin – roughly 87% apart. Kalmar costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,889 per month in Kalmar and $1,546 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.

Kindergarten costs $146 per month in Kalmar and $305 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 75% more in Kalmar, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Kalmar at $1,926. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kalmar 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 $1,031 in Medellin to $1,926 in Kalmar. 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, Kalmar makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.