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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,780 per month in Kista vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,756 per month in Kista vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,732 per month in Kista vs $2,143 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 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.69 SEK 132

$5.91 COP 18.9K

131.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 SEK 705

$32.96 COP 105.2K

121.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.52 SEK 101

$7.43 COP 23.7K

41.59%

Cappuccino

$4.60 SEK 44.34

$1.65 COP 5,276

178.79%

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

$2.70 SEK 25.99

$1.10 COP 3,514

145.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 SEK 24.07

$0.78 COP 2,491

220.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.86 SEK 75.8

$1.72 COP 5,484

356.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 SEK 69.3

$3.18 COP 10.1K

125.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 SEK 15.59

$1.10 COP 3,521

47.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 SEK 26.46

$1.26 COP 4,015

117.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.80 SEK 36.65

$1.38 COP 4,407

175.36%

Eggs

$4.24 SEK 40.86

$2.18 COP 6,950

94.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.84 SEK 114

$4.49 COP 14.3K

163.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.58 SEK 112

$5.79 COP 18.5K

100.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.16 SEK 165

$8.97 COP 28.6K

91.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.20 SEK 30.89

$2.32 COP 7,405

37.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.71 SEK 26.09

$1.06 COP 3,397

155.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 SEK 29.90

$1.52 COP 4,838

103.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.39 SEK 42.35

$1.36 COP 4,327

222.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.62 SEK 15.62

$1.13 COP 3,599

43.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 SEK 17.31

$1.17 COP 3,738

53.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 SEK 24.89

$0.90 COP 2,876

186.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 SEK 14.59

$0.90 COP 2,861

67.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.27 SEK 70.1

$2.23 COP 7,128

226.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.83 SEK 94.8

$12.12 COP 38.7K

-18.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 SEK 18.44

$1.19 COP 3,793

60.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 SEK 18.30

$2.48 COP 7,920

-23.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.42 SEK 33.01

$0.85 COP 2,723

302.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.1 SEK 715

$41.62 COP 132.8K

78.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.38 SEK 61.6

$1.42 COP 4,518

349.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 SEK 15.47

$1.95 COP 6,223

-17.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.1 SEK 608

$7.89 COP 25.2K

699.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 SEK 18.35

$0.99 COP 3,160

91.92%

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

$32.2K SEK 310.2K

$17.6K COP 56.2M

82.82%

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

$34.0K SEK 327.8K

$26.8K COP 85.5M

26.89%

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

$114 SEK 1,101

$83.0 COP 264.9K

37.55%

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

$28.54 SEK 275

$9.70 COP 30.9K

194.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.96 SEK 356

$23.52 COP 75.0K

57.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.39 SEK 389

$25.26 COP 80.6K

59.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.40 SEK 245

$19.10 COP 60.9K

32.98%

Cinema Ticket

$15.61 SEK 150

$3.95 COP 12.6K

295.19%

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

$145 SEK 1,400

$316 COP 1.0M

-54.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,118 SEK 39.7K

$5,975 COP 19.1M

-31.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.1 SEK 907

$60.0 COP 191.4K

56.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.14 SEK 387

$31.82 COP 101.5K

26.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.0 SEK 954

$102 COP 324.4K

-2.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$154 SEK 1,482

$107 COP 342.8K

43.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$835 SEK 8,049

$475 COP 1.5M

75.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$645 SEK 6,222

$374 COP 1.2M

72.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,381 SEK 13.3K

$849 COP 2.7M

62.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,081 SEK 10.4K

$719 COP 2.3M

50.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,281 SEK 41.3K

$3,265 COP 10.4M

31.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,076 SEK 29.7K

$1,441 COP 4.6M

113.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $835 in Kista 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Kista versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $357 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

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 $2,669 per month in Kista 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,780 in Kista and $1,003 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 78% 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 $1,003, than in Kista at $1,780. 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 $1,003 versus $1,780 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.