Cost of Living Comparison Between Karlskrona and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Karlskrona and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,727 per month in Karlskrona vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,601 per month in Karlskrona vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,475 per month in Karlskrona vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Karlskrona costs about 68% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Karlskrona sits 29% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.17 SEK 127

$6.16 COP 20.1K

113.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.5 SEK 652

$32.60 COP 106.1K

106.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.28 SEK 89.7

$7.34 COP 23.9K

26.43%

Cappuccino

$3.94 SEK 38.10

$1.72 COP 5,600

129.07%

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

$1.45 SEK 14.04

$1.05 COP 3,420

38.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 SEK 24.29

$0.77 COP 2,515

225.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.47 SEK 72.2

$1.69 COP 5,488

342.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.38 SEK 52.0

$3.17 COP 10.3K

69.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 SEK 14.67

$1.05 COP 3,423

44.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 SEK 27.24

$1.30 COP 4,236

116.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.00 SEK 38.63

$1.40 COP 4,544

185.71%

Eggs

$3.94 SEK 38.05

$2.16 COP 7,047

82.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.60 SEK 112

$4.39 COP 14.3K

164.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.68 SEK 113

$5.88 COP 19.1K

98.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.98 SEK 154

$8.64 COP 28.1K

84.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 SEK 30.03

$2.28 COP 7,426

36.40%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 SEK 24.46

$1.11 COP 3,604

127.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.04 SEK 29.36

$1.53 COP 4,983

98.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.68 SEK 45.24

$1.35 COP 4,410

246.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 SEK 14.48

$1.13 COP 3,674

32.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 SEK 15.06

$1.13 COP 3,692

38.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 SEK 21.34

$0.85 COP 2,753

160.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 SEK 14.17

$0.91 COP 2,975

61.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.16 SEK 69.2

$2.34 COP 7,630

205.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 SEK 124

$12.37 COP 40.3K

3.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 SEK 19.55

$1.20 COP 3,909

68.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 SEK 17.30

$2.49 COP 8,104

-28.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 SEK 28.35

$0.84 COP 2,728

248.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.2 SEK 630

$40.57 COP 132.1K

60.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$14.39 SEK 139

$1.42 COP 4,623

913.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 SEK 15.36

$1.92 COP 6,235

-17.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.13 SEK 204

$7.66 COP 24.9K

175.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 SEK 18.74

$0.99 COP 3,223

95.96%

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

$33.0K SEK 319.2K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

83.17%

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

$34.5K SEK 333.4K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

29.53%

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

$53.1 SEK 513

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-34.27%

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

$28.35 SEK 274

$9.95 COP 32.4K

184.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.07 SEK 358

$24.18 COP 78.7K

53.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.47 SEK 430

$25.08 COP 81.7K

77.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.19 SEK 234

$19.15 COP 62.3K

26.32%

Cinema Ticket

$17.06 SEK 165

$3.98 COP 13.0K

328.64%

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

$142 SEK 1,375

$305 COP 993.5K

-53.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$745 SEK 7,205

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-87.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 SEK 1,002

$58.1 COP 189.2K

78.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.05 SEK 204

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-34.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.5 SEK 807

$101 COP 327.9K

-17.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$155 SEK 1,498

$108 COP 350.8K

43.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$705 SEK 6,813

$477 COP 1.6M

47.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 SEK 6,688

$376 COP 1.2M

83.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,146 SEK 11.1K

$845 COP 2.7M

35.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$998 SEK 9,647

$730 COP 2.4M

36.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,021 SEK 29.2K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-6.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,550 SEK 24.6K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

85.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,501 SEK 24.2K

$617 COP 2.0M

305.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.7

13.43

-65.00%

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

Last update for Karlskrona: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $705 in Karlskrona 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 306% higher in Karlskrona, 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 $67.0 in Karlskrona versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $356 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

Karlskrona vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Karlskrona is pricier by about 68%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,591 per month in Karlskrona 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Karlskrona and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,727 in Karlskrona and $1,031 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Karlskrona at $1,727. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Karlskrona it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Karlskrona makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.