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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,023 per month in Kalmar vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,964 per month in Kalmar vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,906 per month in Kalmar vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Kalmar costs about 23% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kalmar and Medellin sit above the global median – Kalmar by 47%, Medellin by 19%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.61 SEK 151

$8.04 COP 24.8K

94.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.3 SEK 701

$48.29 COP 148.7K

49.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.02 SEK 107

$9.42 COP 29.0K

16.99%

Cappuccino

$4.63 SEK 44.92

$2.94 COP 9,045

57.48%

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

$2.85 SEK 27.69

$1.86 COP 5,738

53.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 SEK 25.90

$1.46 COP 4,481

82.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.86 SEK 95.6

$3.21 COP 9,887

207.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 SEK 69.6

$5.71 COP 17.6K

25.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 SEK 14.25

$1.44 COP 4,431

2.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.90 SEK 28.11

$2.40 COP 7,393

20.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.21 SEK 31.12

$1.70 COP 5,230

88.82%

Eggs

$4.78 SEK 46.41

$2.89 COP 8,901

65.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.57 SEK 112

$10.06 COP 31.0K

15.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.38 SEK 110

$9.97 COP 30.7K

14.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.74 SEK 221

$14.20 COP 43.7K

60.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.53 SEK 24.58

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-36.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 SEK 28.17

$1.58 COP 4,880

83.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 SEK 31.57

$2.15 COP 6,627

51.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.10 SEK 39.76

$2.30 COP 7,082

78.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 SEK 14.25

$2.00 COP 6,172

-26.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 SEK 15.81

$1.51 COP 4,648

7.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 SEK 19.27

$1.20 COP 3,703

65.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SEK 16.87

$1.28 COP 3,948

35.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.06 SEK 78.2

$3.84 COP 11.8K

109.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.21 SEK 89.4

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-34.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 SEK 19.34

$1.71 COP 5,259

16.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 SEK 25.06

$2.74 COP 8,444

-5.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.52 SEK 34.16

$1.25 COP 3,836

181.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.9 SEK 785

$77.9 COP 239.9K

3.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.29 SEK 99.8

$1.31 COP 4,018

685.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 SEK 16.96

$2.17 COP 6,684

-19.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.43 SEK 480

$8.29 COP 25.5K

496.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 SEK 17.85

$1.36 COP 4,174

35.29%

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

$31.4K SEK 305.1K

$27.5K COP 84.6M

14.47%

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

$29.7K SEK 288.1K

$36.5K COP 112.5M

-18.74%

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

$152 SEK 1,472

$169 COP 519.5K

-10.09%

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

$27.85 SEK 270

$13.57 COP 41.8K

105.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.20 SEK 322

$28.32 COP 87.2K

17.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.12 SEK 302

$45.71 COP 140.8K

-31.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.71 SEK 249

$17.22 COP 53.0K

49.30%

Cinema Ticket

$15.24 SEK 148

$6.65 COP 20.5K

129.17%

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

$145 SEK 1,411

$803 COP 2.5M

-81.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,972 SEK 48.2K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-45.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 SEK 512

$87.4 COP 269.0K

-39.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.03 SEK 437

$59.4 COP 182.8K

-24.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.7 SEK 812

$139 COP 427.7K

-39.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 SEK 998

$102 COP 314.2K

0.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$921 SEK 8,937

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-13.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$801 SEK 7,769

$653 COP 2.0M

22.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,369 SEK 13.3K

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-28.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,158 SEK 11.2K

$1,048 COP 3.2M

10.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,269 SEK 41.4K

$4,123 COP 12.7M

3.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,902 SEK 28.2K

$1,697 COP 5.2M

70.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,984 SEK 29.0K

$655 COP 2.0M

355.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.93

10.94

-64.08%

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

Last update for Kalmar: September 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $921 in Kalmar versus $1,071 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 356% 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 $72.0 in Kalmar versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $369 vs $300 – 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: $2,023 in Kalmar, $1,641 in Medellin – roughly 23% apart. Kalmar costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,035 per month in Kalmar and $2,462 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 $803 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% 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 $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,641, than in Kalmar at $2,023. 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 $1,641 in Medellin to $2,023 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.