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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,965 per month in Kiruna vs $1,030 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,097 per month in Kiruna vs $1,586 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,229 per month in Kiruna vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Kiruna costs about 91% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Kiruna sits 47% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.70 SEK 117

$5.92 COP 21.2K

114.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.3 SEK 877

$33.17 COP 118.7K

187.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.95 SEK 110

$7.25 COP 25.9K

64.83%

Cappuccino

$4.72 SEK 43.42

$1.71 COP 6,137

176.02%

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

$2.07 SEK 19.06

$1.09 COP 3,915

89.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 SEK 9.44

$0.77 COP 2,743

33.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.34 SEK 76.8

$1.75 COP 6,254

376.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 SEK 62.4

$3.18 COP 11.4K

113.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 SEK 17.24

$1.06 COP 3,792

76.42%

White Bread (500g)

$3.50 SEK 32.18

$1.30 COP 4,657

169.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.13 SEK 47.17

$1.38 COP 4,926

271.74%

Eggs

$4.83 SEK 44.43

$2.21 COP 7,908

118.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.75 SEK 117

$4.52 COP 16.2K

182.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.04 SEK 129

$5.80 COP 20.7K

142.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.56 SEK 254

$8.97 COP 32.1K

207.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.59 SEK 23.79

$2.29 COP 8,182

13.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 SEK 25.89

$1.06 COP 3,791

165.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.54 SEK 23.35

$1.51 COP 5,411

68.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.39 SEK 40.40

$1.36 COP 4,869

222.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 SEK 19.74

$1.16 COP 4,146

85.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 SEK 15.35

$1.17 COP 4,174

42.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.42 SEK 31.51

$0.83 COP 2,960

312.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 SEK 13.32

$0.85 COP 3,043

70.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.38 SEK 67.9

$2.35 COP 8,423

214.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.96 SEK 101

$11.09 COP 39.7K

-1.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 SEK 16.66

$1.15 COP 4,133

57.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 SEK 16.60

$2.47 COP 8,853

-27.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.32 SEK 30.52

$0.79 COP 2,827

320.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 SEK 668

$41.85 COP 149.8K

73.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.41 SEK 86.6

$1.44 COP 5,140

553.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 SEK 14.64

$1.90 COP 6,793

-16.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$72.9 SEK 671

$7.70 COP 27.6K

846.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 SEK 17.96

$1.03 COP 3,680

89.32%

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

$32.6K SEK 299.5K

$17.7K COP 63.3M

84.13%

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

$35.5K SEK 326.3K

$27.0K COP 96.7M

31.27%

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

$173 SEK 1,593

$81.4 COP 291.4K

112.72%

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

$32.32 SEK 297

$9.42 COP 33.7K

243.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.23 SEK 260

$23.77 COP 85.1K

18.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.19 SEK 434

$25.86 COP 92.6K

82.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.12 SEK 231

$19.34 COP 69.2K

29.89%

Cinema Ticket

$13.75 SEK 127

$4.05 COP 14.5K

239.51%

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

$163 SEK 1,503

$312 COP 1.1M

-47.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,172 SEK 38.4K

$6,067 COP 21.7M

-31.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$128 SEK 1,174

$58.9 COP 210.7K

116.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.89 SEK 312

$32.82 COP 117.5K

3.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 SEK 1,182

$100 COP 359.6K

27.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$172 SEK 1,582

$106 COP 380.3K

61.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$823 SEK 7,570

$490 COP 1.8M

68.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$638 SEK 5,874

$371 COP 1.3M

72.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,441 SEK 13.3K

$838 COP 3.0M

72.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,175 SEK 10.8K

$715 COP 2.6M

64.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,150 SEK 38.2K

$2,952 COP 10.6M

40.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,052 SEK 28.1K

$1,394 COP 5.0M

118.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,601 SEK 33.1K

$532 COP 1.9M

576.91%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $823 in Kiruna versus $490 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 577% 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 $95 in Kiruna versus $33 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $422 vs $190 – 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: $1,965 in Kiruna, $1,030 in Medellin – roughly 91% apart. Kiruna costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,947 per month in Kiruna and $1,544 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 122% 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 $95.0 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 $1,030, than in Kiruna at $1,965. 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 $1,030 in Medellin to $1,965 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.