Cost of Living Comparison Between Kista and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Kista and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,793 per month in Kista vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,815 per month in Kista vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,837 per month in Kista vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Kista costs about 73% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Kista sits 34% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.70 SEK 127

$5.92 COP 21.4K

131.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.0 SEK 688

$32.75 COP 118.2K

125.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 SEK 98.5

$7.20 COP 26.0K

47.08%

Cappuccino

$4.62 SEK 43.01

$1.70 COP 6,140

171.76%

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

$2.74 SEK 25.47

$1.10 COP 3,966

149.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 SEK 22.97

$0.72 COP 2,605

243.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.90 SEK 73.5

$1.67 COP 6,022

373.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.31 SEK 68.0

$3.10 COP 11.2K

135.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SEK 15.60

$1.06 COP 3,809

58.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 SEK 25.51

$1.25 COP 4,497

119.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.76 SEK 35.01

$1.39 COP 5,022

170.50%

Eggs

$4.25 SEK 39.51

$2.26 COP 8,168

88.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.98 SEK 111

$4.33 COP 15.6K

176.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.99 SEK 111

$5.84 COP 21.1K

105.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.81 SEK 156

$8.83 COP 31.9K

90.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 SEK 29.50

$2.24 COP 8,099

41.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 SEK 23.89

$1.08 COP 3,882

137.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 SEK 27.94

$1.53 COP 5,522

96.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.47 SEK 41.59

$1.37 COP 4,950

226.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 SEK 15.23

$1.13 COP 4,078

45.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 SEK 16.70

$1.12 COP 4,036

60.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 SEK 24.28

$0.85 COP 3,057

207.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 SEK 14.48

$0.91 COP 3,281

71.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.30 SEK 67.9

$2.33 COP 8,414

213.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.71 SEK 109

$11.13 COP 40.2K

5.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 SEK 17.72

$1.19 COP 4,309

59.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 SEK 18.36

$2.37 COP 8,553

-16.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.46 SEK 32.17

$0.79 COP 2,838

337.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.9 SEK 678

$41.13 COP 148.5K

77.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.32 SEK 58.8

$1.44 COP 5,184

338.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 SEK 14.85

$1.91 COP 6,901

-16.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.7 SEK 583

$8.02 COP 28.9K

681.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 SEK 18.46

$0.94 COP 3,385

111.70%

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

$32.0K SEK 297.6K

$17.9K COP 64.7M

78.58%

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

$34.9K SEK 324.2K

$26.8K COP 96.7M

30.11%

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

$113 SEK 1,048

$84.0 COP 303.1K

34.17%

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

$28.32 SEK 263

$9.60 COP 34.7K

195.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.33 SEK 338

$24.16 COP 87.2K

50.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.09 SEK 373

$25.88 COP 93.4K

54.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.58 SEK 238

$19.04 COP 68.7K

34.35%

Cinema Ticket

$15.59 SEK 145

$3.92 COP 14.1K

297.70%

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

$144 SEK 1,341

$306 COP 1.1M

-52.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,172 SEK 38.8K

$5,919 COP 21.4M

-29.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.7 SEK 890

$57.9 COP 209.1K

65.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.45 SEK 386

$31.82 COP 114.9K

30.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.1 SEK 912

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-1.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 SEK 1,425

$107 COP 386.8K

42.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$841 SEK 7,818

$487 COP 1.8M

72.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 SEK 6,166

$368 COP 1.3M

80.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,401 SEK 13.0K

$826 COP 3.0M

69.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,067 SEK 9,924

$716 COP 2.6M

49.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,449 SEK 41.4K

$2,925 COP 10.6M

52.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,664 SEK 24.8K

$1,407 COP 5.1M

89.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.53

13.43

-66.27%

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

Last update for Kista: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $841 in Kista versus $487 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Kista versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $363 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

Kista vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kista costs about 73% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,689 per month in Kista and $1,550 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,793 in Kista and $1,034 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 77% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Kista at $1,793. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kista it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,034 versus $1,793 in Kista. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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