Cost of Living Comparison Between Lund and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Lund and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,904 in Lund versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,030 in Lund versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,156 in Lund versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Lund is roughly 85% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lund is 43% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.55 SEK 121

$6.16 COP 20.1K

103.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.3 SEK 825

$32.60 COP 106.1K

161.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.20 SEK 118

$7.34 COP 23.9K

66.21%

Cappuccino

$4.85 SEK 46.92

$1.72 COP 5,600

181.98%

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

$2.81 SEK 27.13

$1.05 COP 3,420

167.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 SEK 19.79

$0.77 COP 2,515

166.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.22 SEK 79.5

$1.69 COP 5,488

386.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.32 SEK 70.8

$3.17 COP 10.3K

130.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 SEK 15.43

$1.05 COP 3,423

52.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.21 SEK 21.34

$1.30 COP 4,236

70.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 SEK 29.15

$1.40 COP 4,544

115.71%

Eggs

$4.55 SEK 44.02

$2.16 COP 7,047

110.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.12 SEK 127

$4.39 COP 14.3K

198.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.78 SEK 114

$5.88 COP 19.1K

100.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.28 SEK 167

$8.64 COP 28.1K

100.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 SEK 30.70

$2.28 COP 7,426

39.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 SEK 26.81

$1.11 COP 3,604

149.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.77 SEK 26.75

$1.53 COP 4,983

81.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.55 SEK 43.94

$1.35 COP 4,410

237.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 SEK 16.01

$1.13 COP 3,674

46.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 SEK 15.25

$1.13 COP 3,692

39.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 SEK 25.14

$0.85 COP 2,753

205.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 SEK 12.29

$0.91 COP 2,975

39.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.18 SEK 79.1

$2.34 COP 7,630

249.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.23 SEK 109

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-9.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 SEK 18.98

$1.20 COP 3,909

63.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 SEK 21.64

$2.49 COP 8,104

-10.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.34 SEK 32.33

$0.84 COP 2,728

297.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 SEK 652

$40.57 COP 132.1K

66.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.40 SEK 52.3

$1.42 COP 4,623

280.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 SEK 18.21

$1.92 COP 6,235

-2.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.0 SEK 609

$7.66 COP 24.9K

722.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 SEK 18.40

$0.99 COP 3,223

91.92%

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

$32.7K SEK 316.0K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

81.32%

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

$34.1K SEK 329.9K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

28.18%

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

$122 SEK 1,179

$80.8 COP 263.1K

50.91%

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

$28.99 SEK 280

$9.95 COP 32.4K

191.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.22 SEK 398

$24.18 COP 78.7K

70.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.68 SEK 374

$25.08 COP 81.7K

54.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.09 SEK 233

$19.15 COP 62.3K

25.80%

Cinema Ticket

$18.17 SEK 176

$3.98 COP 13.0K

356.53%

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

$179 SEK 1,730

$305 COP 993.5K

-41.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,129 SEK 39.9K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-31.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.3 SEK 776

$58.1 COP 189.2K

38.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.1 SEK 581

$32.20 COP 104.8K

86.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 SEK 1,002

$101 COP 327.9K

2.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 SEK 1,259

$108 COP 350.8K

20.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$981 SEK 9,483

$477 COP 1.6M

105.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$763 SEK 7,371

$376 COP 1.2M

102.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,615 SEK 15.6K

$845 COP 2.7M

91.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,307 SEK 12.6K

$730 COP 2.4M

78.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,408 SEK 61.9K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

99.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,682 SEK 35.6K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

168.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,972 SEK 28.7K

$617 COP 2.0M

381.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

13.43

-64.26%

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

Last update for Lund: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $981 in Lund and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lund pays 382% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $85.0 in Lund vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $355 vs $193 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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

Lund vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 85% lower than in Lund. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 382% higher in Lund, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $981 in Lund versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,904 per month in Lund versus $1,031 in Medellin – a 85% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 66% less than in Lund. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,904 in Lund, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Lund. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,031 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lund and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 85% less than in Lund. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.