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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,923 per month in Kiruna vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,123 per month in Kiruna vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,323 per month in Kiruna vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Kiruna costs about 92% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Kiruna sits 45% above the global median, while Medellin is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.50 SEK 121

$5.91 COP 18.9K

111.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.2 SEK 909

$32.96 COP 105.2K

185.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.90 SEK 115

$7.43 COP 23.7K

60.16%

Cappuccino

$4.82 SEK 46.44

$1.65 COP 5,276

192.12%

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

$2.14 SEK 20.67

$1.10 COP 3,514

94.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 SEK 10.23

$0.78 COP 2,491

35.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.49 SEK 81.8

$1.72 COP 5,484

393.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.95 SEK 67.0

$3.18 COP 10.1K

118.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 SEK 18.64

$1.10 COP 3,521

75.45%

White Bread (500g)

$3.43 SEK 33.02

$1.26 COP 4,015

172.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.03 SEK 48.51

$1.38 COP 4,407

264.49%

Eggs

$4.76 SEK 45.92

$2.18 COP 6,950

118.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.74 SEK 123

$4.49 COP 14.3K

183.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.17 SEK 137

$5.79 COP 18.5K

144.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.29 SEK 263

$8.97 COP 28.6K

204.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 SEK 25.32

$2.32 COP 7,405

13.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 SEK 27.29

$1.06 COP 3,397

166.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 SEK 25.26

$1.52 COP 4,838

72.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.33 SEK 41.71

$1.36 COP 4,327

218.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 SEK 21.24

$1.13 COP 3,599

94.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 SEK 15.80

$1.17 COP 3,738

40.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.53 SEK 34.07

$0.90 COP 2,876

292.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 SEK 14.00

$0.90 COP 2,861

61.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.46 SEK 71.9

$2.23 COP 7,128

234.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.49 SEK 91.5

$12.12 COP 38.7K

-21.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 SEK 18.07

$1.19 COP 3,793

57.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 SEK 17.16

$2.48 COP 7,920

-28.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.34 SEK 32.17

$0.85 COP 2,723

292.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 SEK 721

$41.62 COP 132.8K

79.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.40 SEK 90.6

$1.42 COP 4,518

561.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 SEK 15.35

$1.95 COP 6,223

-18.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$72.7 SEK 701

$7.89 COP 25.2K

821.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 SEK 18.79

$0.99 COP 3,160

96.97%

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

$32.9K SEK 317.0K

$17.6K COP 56.2M

86.82%

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

$34.9K SEK 336.2K

$26.8K COP 85.5M

30.13%

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

$169 SEK 1,634

$83.0 COP 264.9K

104.17%

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

$32.04 SEK 309

$9.70 COP 30.9K

230.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.79 SEK 268

$23.52 COP 75.0K

18.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.83 SEK 451

$25.26 COP 80.6K

85.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.54 SEK 246

$19.10 COP 60.9K

33.72%

Cinema Ticket

$13.58 SEK 131

$3.95 COP 12.6K

243.80%

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

$164 SEK 1,578

$316 COP 1.0M

-48.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,136 SEK 39.9K

$5,975 COP 19.1M

-30.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$125 SEK 1,202

$60.0 COP 191.4K

107.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.11 SEK 329

$31.82 COP 101.5K

7.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 SEK 1,246

$102 COP 324.4K

27.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$169 SEK 1,633

$107 COP 342.8K

57.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$839 SEK 8,090

$475 COP 1.5M

76.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$628 SEK 6,059

$374 COP 1.2M

68.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,405 SEK 13.5K

$849 COP 2.7M

65.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,141 SEK 11.0K

$719 COP 2.3M

58.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,318 SEK 41.6K

$3,265 COP 10.4M

32.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,801 SEK 27.0K

$1,441 COP 4.6M

94.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,319 SEK 32.0K

$624 COP 2.0M

431.58%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $839 in Kiruna versus $475 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 432% 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 $94.0 in Kiruna versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $419 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

Kiruna vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,923 in Kiruna, $1,003 in Medellin – roughly 92% apart. Kiruna costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,885 per month in Kiruna and $1,504 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 117% 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 $94.0 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 $1,003, than in Kiruna at $1,923. 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 $1,003 in Medellin to $1,923 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.