Cost of Living Comparison Between Kiruna and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Kiruna and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,926 per month in Kiruna vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,099 per month in Kiruna vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,272 per month in Kiruna vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Kiruna costs about 90% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Kiruna sits 44% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.75 SEK 121

$5.99 COP 21.5K

112.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.7 SEK 915

$32.86 COP 118.1K

194.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.79 SEK 112

$7.09 COP 25.5K

66.29%

Cappuccino

$4.64 SEK 43.94

$1.71 COP 6,154

171.35%

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

$2.07 SEK 19.61

$1.10 COP 3,949

88.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 SEK 10.03

$0.78 COP 2,798

35.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.50 SEK 80.4

$1.68 COP 6,035

405.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.87 SEK 65.0

$3.07 COP 11.0K

123.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 SEK 18.28

$1.09 COP 3,930

77.06%

White Bread (500g)

$3.54 SEK 33.48

$1.26 COP 4,536

180.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.97 SEK 47.05

$1.38 COP 4,953

260.14%

Eggs

$4.91 SEK 46.42

$2.19 COP 7,876

124.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 SEK 125

$4.40 COP 15.8K

201.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.78 SEK 130

$5.63 COP 20.2K

144.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.10 SEK 266

$8.89 COP 32.0K

216.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.59 SEK 24.51

$2.34 COP 8,401

10.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.72 SEK 25.75

$1.06 COP 3,801

156.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 SEK 24.77

$1.50 COP 5,408

74.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 SEK 40.75

$1.38 COP 4,955

212.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 SEK 20.45

$1.15 COP 4,137

87.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 SEK 15.08

$1.16 COP 4,181

37.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.43 SEK 32.45

$0.89 COP 3,202

285.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 SEK 13.83

$0.84 COP 3,016

73.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.19 SEK 68.0

$2.28 COP 8,196

215.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.16 SEK 96.1

$10.64 COP 38.2K

-4.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 SEK 17.25

$1.20 COP 4,311

51.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 SEK 17.80

$2.47 COP 8,880

-23.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.41 SEK 32.27

$0.86 COP 3,075

296.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.3 SEK 703

$41.40 COP 148.8K

79.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.29 SEK 87.9

$1.47 COP 5,297

531.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 SEK 15.17

$1.96 COP 7,053

-18.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$73.8 SEK 699

$7.74 COP 27.8K

854.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 SEK 18.62

$0.95 COP 3,430

107.37%

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

$32.4K SEK 307.0K

$18.1K COP 65.2M

78.94%

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

$36.2K SEK 342.8K

$26.5K COP 95.2M

36.80%

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

$173 SEK 1,638

$82.3 COP 295.6K

110.46%

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

$32.94 SEK 312

$9.50 COP 34.1K

246.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.76 SEK 263

$24.23 COP 87.1K

14.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.67 SEK 442

$25.89 COP 93.0K

80.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.86 SEK 235

$19.00 COP 68.3K

30.84%

Cinema Ticket

$13.70 SEK 130

$3.93 COP 14.1K

248.60%

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

$161 SEK 1,522

$309 COP 1.1M

-48.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,100 SEK 38.8K

$5,965 COP 21.4M

-31.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$125 SEK 1,180

$58.7 COP 210.8K

112.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.76 SEK 319

$32.35 COP 116.2K

4.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 SEK 1,224

$103 COP 368.7K

26.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$166 SEK 1,574

$108 COP 389.6K

53.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$842 SEK 7,963

$476 COP 1.7M

76.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$641 SEK 6,061

$379 COP 1.4M

69.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 SEK 13.4K

$838 COP 3.0M

68.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,182 SEK 11.2K

$724 COP 2.6M

63.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,906 SEK 37.0K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

39.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,376 SEK 31.9K

$1,211 COP 4.4M

178.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,449 SEK 32.6K

$512 COP 1.8M

573.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-70.22%

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

Last update for Kiruna: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $842 in Kiruna 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 574% higher in Kiruna, 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 $97.0 in Kiruna versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $423 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

Kiruna vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,926 in Kiruna, $1,013 in Medellin – roughly 90% apart. Kiruna costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,889 per month in Kiruna 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.

Groceries cost about 124% more in Kiruna, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $97.0 in Kiruna and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Kiruna at $1,926. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kiruna 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 $1,926 in Kiruna. 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, Kiruna makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.