Cost of Living Comparison Between Malmo and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Malmo and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,081 per month in Malmo vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,224 per month in Malmo vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,368 per month in Malmo vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Malmo costs about 102% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Malmo sits 56% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.74 SEK 133

$6.16 COP 20.1K

123.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.5 SEK 807

$32.60 COP 106.1K

156.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.74 SEK 123

$7.34 COP 23.9K

73.57%

Cappuccino

$5.15 SEK 49.73

$1.72 COP 5,600

199.42%

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

$2.68 SEK 25.92

$1.05 COP 3,420

155.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SEK 20.29

$0.77 COP 2,515

172.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.81 SEK 75.5

$1.69 COP 5,488

362.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.01 SEK 77.4

$3.17 COP 10.3K

152.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 SEK 16.76

$1.05 COP 3,423

64.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 SEK 29.73

$1.30 COP 4,236

136.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.48 SEK 33.67

$1.40 COP 4,544

148.57%

Eggs

$4.53 SEK 43.80

$2.16 COP 7,047

109.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.41 SEK 120

$4.39 COP 14.3K

182.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.01 SEK 126

$5.88 COP 19.1K

121.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.83 SEK 259

$8.64 COP 28.1K

210.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.40 SEK 32.84

$2.28 COP 7,426

49.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 SEK 28.43

$1.11 COP 3,604

164.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 SEK 31.83

$1.53 COP 4,983

115.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 SEK 46.69

$1.35 COP 4,410

257.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 SEK 18.10

$1.13 COP 3,674

65.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 SEK 18.76

$1.13 COP 3,692

71.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.55 SEK 24.68

$0.85 COP 2,753

200.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 SEK 13.00

$0.91 COP 2,975

47.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.88 SEK 76.2

$2.34 COP 7,630

236.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.67 SEK 113

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-5.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 SEK 23.25

$1.20 COP 3,909

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 SEK 26.39

$2.49 COP 8,104

9.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.46 SEK 33.40

$0.84 COP 2,728

311.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.0 SEK 686

$40.57 COP 132.1K

74.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.76 SEK 65.3

$1.42 COP 4,623

376.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.64 SEK 25.49

$1.92 COP 6,235

37.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$57.1 SEK 552

$7.66 COP 24.9K

645.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 SEK 18.41

$0.99 COP 3,223

91.92%

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

$33.0K SEK 318.6K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

82.82%

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

$33.9K SEK 328.1K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

27.49%

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

$155 SEK 1,496

$80.8 COP 263.1K

91.51%

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

$29.60 SEK 286

$9.95 COP 32.4K

197.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.55 SEK 382

$24.18 COP 78.7K

63.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.29 SEK 380

$25.08 COP 81.7K

56.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.47 SEK 227

$19.15 COP 62.3K

22.56%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 SEK 172

$3.98 COP 13.0K

347.49%

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

$157 SEK 1,520

$305 COP 993.5K

-48.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,884 SEK 47.2K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-19.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 SEK 1,013

$58.1 COP 189.2K

80.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.70 SEK 442

$32.20 COP 104.8K

41.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 SEK 1,199

$101 COP 327.9K

23.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$166 SEK 1,607

$108 COP 350.8K

54.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 SEK 8,856

$477 COP 1.6M

92.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$791 SEK 7,642

$376 COP 1.2M

110.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,702 SEK 16.4K

$845 COP 2.7M

101.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,378 SEK 13.3K

$730 COP 2.4M

88.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,179 SEK 40.4K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

29.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,318 SEK 32.1K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

141.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,148 SEK 30.4K

$617 COP 2.0M

410.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.86

13.43

-63.81%

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

Last update for Malmo: July 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $916 in Malmo versus $477 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 410% higher in Malmo, 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 $83.0 in Malmo versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $412 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

Malmo vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Malmo costs about 102% 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 $3,121 per month in Malmo and $1,546 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.

Kindergarten costs $157 per month in Malmo and $305 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 113% more in Malmo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Malmo at $2,081. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Malmo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,031 versus $2,081 in Malmo. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Malmo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.