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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,797 per month in Kista vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,818 per month in Kista vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,838 per month in Kista vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Kista costs about 77% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Kista sits 34% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.28 SEK 125

$5.95 COP 20.8K

123.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.4 SEK 689

$33.33 COP 116.3K

120.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 SEK 97.7

$7.23 COP 25.2K

43.98%

Cappuccino

$4.74 SEK 44.50

$1.63 COP 5,687

190.80%

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

$2.78 SEK 26.06

$1.09 COP 3,821

155.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 SEK 22.58

$0.73 COP 2,548

230.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.91 SEK 74.2

$1.74 COP 6,065

354.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.58 SEK 71.1

$3.23 COP 11.3K

134.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 SEK 15.21

$1.05 COP 3,662

54.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.83 SEK 26.51

$1.29 COP 4,515

119.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.88 SEK 36.42

$1.32 COP 4,617

193.94%

Eggs

$4.26 SEK 39.96

$2.27 COP 7,927

87.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.12 SEK 114

$4.35 COP 15.2K

178.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.89 SEK 112

$5.88 COP 20.5K

102.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.94 SEK 159

$8.61 COP 30.0K

96.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 SEK 29.61

$2.25 COP 7,844

40.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 SEK 24.25

$1.07 COP 3,733

141.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 SEK 29.05

$1.52 COP 5,322

103.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.32 SEK 40.52

$1.42 COP 4,964

204.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 SEK 15.42

$1.17 COP 4,084

40.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 SEK 16.62

$1.17 COP 4,077

51.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 SEK 24.50

$0.89 COP 3,096

193.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 SEK 14.32

$0.90 COP 3,146

70.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.30 SEK 68.5

$2.25 COP 7,837

224.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.33 SEK 87.5

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-15.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 SEK 18.51

$1.14 COP 3,977

72.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 SEK 18.41

$2.38 COP 8,301

-17.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.48 SEK 32.62

$0.84 COP 2,916

314.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.6 SEK 681

$41.95 COP 146.4K

72.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 SEK 58.6

$1.41 COP 4,912

342.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 SEK 15.36

$1.90 COP 6,634

-13.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.4 SEK 585

$7.75 COP 27.0K

704.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 SEK 18.46

$1.01 COP 3,509

95.05%

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

$32.0K SEK 299.8K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

81.78%

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

$33.8K SEK 317.2K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

27.63%

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

$115 SEK 1,081

$83.7 COP 292.1K

37.73%

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

$28.56 SEK 268

$9.45 COP 33.0K

202.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.92 SEK 346

$24.11 COP 84.1K

53.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.61 SEK 381

$25.31 COP 88.3K

60.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.55 SEK 240

$19.14 COP 66.8K

33.49%

Cinema Ticket

$16.03 SEK 150

$4.10 COP 14.3K

290.98%

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

$149 SEK 1,401

$312 COP 1.1M

-52.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,113 SEK 38.6K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-31.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.3 SEK 884

$58.0 COP 202.6K

62.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.09 SEK 376

$32.56 COP 113.6K

23.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.8 SEK 899

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-3.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$154 SEK 1,440

$109 COP 378.8K

41.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$832 SEK 7,807

$482 COP 1.7M

72.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$644 SEK 6,044

$379 COP 1.3M

69.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,395 SEK 13.1K

$837 COP 2.9M

66.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 SEK 10.0K

$723 COP 2.5M

48.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,549 SEK 42.7K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

60.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,994 SEK 28.1K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

144.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $832 in Kista versus $482 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 $73.0 in Kista versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 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 77% 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 $2,696 per month in Kista and $1,525 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 $1,797 in Kista and $1,017 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 73% 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 $1,017, than in Kista at $1,797. 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 $1,017 versus $1,797 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.