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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,768 per month in Karlskrona vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,652 per month in Karlskrona vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,535 per month in Karlskrona vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Karlskrona costs about 75% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Karlskrona sits 32% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.32 SEK 124

$5.99 COP 21.4K

122.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.1 SEK 645

$32.86 COP 117.4K

110.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 SEK 86.0

$7.09 COP 25.3K

30.04%

Cappuccino

$3.98 SEK 37.16

$1.71 COP 6,115

132.75%

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

$1.45 SEK 13.48

$1.10 COP 3,924

31.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 SEK 23.44

$0.78 COP 2,781

221.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.21 SEK 67.3

$1.68 COP 5,997

329.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 SEK 49.78

$3.07 COP 11.0K

73.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 SEK 14.88

$1.09 COP 3,906

46.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.84 SEK 26.45

$1.26 COP 4,508

125.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.84 SEK 35.80

$1.38 COP 4,922

178.26%

Eggs

$4.07 SEK 38.01

$2.19 COP 7,827

85.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.49 SEK 107

$4.40 COP 15.7K

161.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.95 SEK 111

$5.63 COP 20.1K

112.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.94 SEK 149

$8.89 COP 31.8K

79.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 SEK 30.13

$2.34 COP 8,349

38.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.43 SEK 22.69

$1.06 COP 3,777

129.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.21 SEK 29.96

$1.50 COP 5,374

114.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.64 SEK 43.31

$1.38 COP 4,924

236.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 SEK 14.07

$1.15 COP 4,111

31.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 SEK 14.88

$1.16 COP 4,155

37.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 SEK 20.69

$0.89 COP 3,182

149.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 SEK 13.49

$0.84 COP 2,997

72.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.48 SEK 69.8

$2.28 COP 8,145

228.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.48 SEK 126

$10.64 COP 38.0K

26.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 SEK 19.59

$1.20 COP 4,284

75.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 SEK 16.55

$2.47 COP 8,824

-28.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 SEK 28.24

$0.86 COP 3,056

252.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.2 SEK 608

$41.40 COP 147.9K

57.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$14.57 SEK 136

$1.47 COP 5,264

891.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 SEK 15.47

$1.96 COP 7,009

-15.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.00 SEK 196

$7.74 COP 27.6K

171.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 SEK 17.49

$0.95 COP 3,409

96.84%

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

$33.1K SEK 308.6K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

82.39%

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

$34.1K SEK 317.7K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

28.56%

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

$53.3 SEK 497

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-35.23%

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

$28.37 SEK 265

$9.50 COP 33.9K

198.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.87 SEK 344

$24.23 COP 86.5K

52.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.31 SEK 404

$25.89 COP 92.4K

67.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.03 SEK 224

$19.00 COP 67.9K

26.47%

Cinema Ticket

$17.05 SEK 159

$3.93 COP 14.0K

333.84%

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

$146 SEK 1,358

$309 COP 1.1M

-52.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$753 SEK 7,026

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-87.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 SEK 967

$58.7 COP 209.5K

76.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.86 SEK 195

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-35.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.2 SEK 795

$103 COP 366.4K

-16.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$154 SEK 1,434

$108 COP 387.2K

41.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 SEK 6,679

$476 COP 1.7M

50.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$690 SEK 6,435

$379 COP 1.4M

82.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,149 SEK 10.7K

$838 COP 3.0M

37.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,002 SEK 9,348

$724 COP 2.6M

38.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,141 SEK 29.3K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

12.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,664 SEK 24.9K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

119.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,640 SEK 24.6K

$512 COP 1.8M

415.90%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $716 in Karlskrona 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 416% 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 $69.0 in Karlskrona versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $360 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

Karlskrona vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Karlskrona is pricier by about 75%, 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 $2,652 per month in Karlskrona 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 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 $1,768 in Karlskrona and $1,013 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 $1,013, than in Karlskrona at $1,768. 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.