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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,862 per month in Kalmar vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,801 per month in Kalmar vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,740 per month in Kalmar vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Kalmar costs about 84% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Kalmar sits 39% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.05 SEK 150

$5.99 COP 21.4K

167.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.3 SEK 693

$32.86 COP 117.4K

126.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.56 SEK 98.6

$7.09 COP 25.3K

48.94%

Cappuccino

$4.56 SEK 42.55

$1.71 COP 6,115

166.67%

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

$2.89 SEK 26.97

$1.10 COP 3,924

162.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 SEK 24.85

$0.78 COP 2,781

241.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.71 SEK 90.6

$1.68 COP 5,997

477.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.43 SEK 69.3

$3.07 COP 11.0K

142.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 SEK 13.77

$1.09 COP 3,906

35.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 SEK 22.28

$1.26 COP 4,508

89.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.58 SEK 24.05

$1.38 COP 4,922

86.96%

Eggs

$4.88 SEK 45.52

$2.19 COP 7,827

122.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.36 SEK 96.7

$4.40 COP 15.7K

135.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.73 SEK 109

$5.63 COP 20.1K

108.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.15 SEK 151

$8.89 COP 31.8K

81.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 SEK 24.42

$2.34 COP 8,349

11.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.79 SEK 26.03

$1.06 COP 3,777

163.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 SEK 29.16

$1.50 COP 5,374

108.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.70 SEK 34.51

$1.38 COP 4,924

168.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 SEK 13.33

$1.15 COP 4,111

24.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 SEK 21.87

$1.16 COP 4,155

101.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.06 SEK 19.19

$0.89 COP 3,182

131.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 SEK 15.44

$0.84 COP 2,997

97.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.30 SEK 68.1

$2.28 COP 8,145

220.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.90 SEK 92.4

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-6.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 SEK 19.71

$1.20 COP 4,284

75.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 SEK 15.48

$2.47 COP 8,824

-32.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.83 SEK 26.39

$0.86 COP 3,056

229.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 SEK 804

$41.40 COP 147.9K

108.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.25 SEK 67.6

$1.47 COP 5,264

393.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 SEK 14.53

$1.96 COP 7,009

-20.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.6 SEK 491

$7.74 COP 27.6K

580.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 SEK 18.19

$0.95 COP 3,409

105.26%

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

$27.5K SEK 256.4K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

51.54%

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

$28.1K SEK 262.2K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

6.11%

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

$118 SEK 1,104

$82.3 COP 293.7K

43.88%

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

$28.08 SEK 262

$9.50 COP 33.9K

195.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.58 SEK 285

$24.23 COP 86.5K

26.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.43 SEK 275

$25.89 COP 92.4K

13.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.57 SEK 145

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-18.05%

Cinema Ticket

$14.22 SEK 133

$3.93 COP 14.0K

261.83%

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

$145 SEK 1,357

$309 COP 1.1M

-53.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,155 SEK 38.8K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-30.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.8 SEK 595

$58.7 COP 209.5K

8.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.69 SEK 193

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-36.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.0 SEK 560

$103 COP 366.4K

-41.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.4 SEK 723

$108 COP 387.2K

-28.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$939 SEK 8,760

$476 COP 1.7M

97.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$795 SEK 7,421

$379 COP 1.4M

109.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,389 SEK 13.0K

$838 COP 3.0M

65.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,183 SEK 11.0K

$724 COP 2.6M

63.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,304 SEK 40.2K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

54.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,931 SEK 27.4K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

141.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,061 SEK 28.6K

$512 COP 1.8M

498.11%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $939 in Kalmar versus $476 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 498% 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 $74.0 in Kalmar versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $338 vs $188 – 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: $1,862 in Kalmar, $1,013 in Medellin – roughly 84% apart. Kalmar costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,793 per month in Kalmar and $1,519 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 $145 per month in Kalmar and $309 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 79% 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 $1,013, than in Kalmar at $1,862. 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 $1,013 in Medellin to $1,862 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.