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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,047 per month in Malmo vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,170 per month in Malmo vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,292 per month in Malmo vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

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

Malmo sits 53% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.48 SEK 127

$5.99 COP 21.4K

125.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.6 SEK 804

$32.86 COP 117.2K

160.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.67 SEK 119

$7.09 COP 25.3K

78.70%

Cappuccino

$5.05 SEK 47.48

$1.71 COP 6,105

195.32%

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

$2.69 SEK 25.24

$1.10 COP 3,918

144.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 SEK 20.21

$0.78 COP 2,776

175.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.00 SEK 75.2

$1.68 COP 5,987

376.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.20 SEK 77.1

$3.07 COP 10.9K

167.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 SEK 15.72

$1.09 COP 3,899

53.21%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 SEK 29.19

$1.26 COP 4,500

146.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.61 SEK 33.93

$1.38 COP 4,914

161.59%

Eggs

$4.42 SEK 41.49

$2.19 COP 7,813

101.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.05 SEK 113

$4.40 COP 15.7K

173.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.78 SEK 120

$5.63 COP 20.1K

127.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.50 SEK 258

$8.89 COP 31.7K

209.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 SEK 30.69

$2.34 COP 8,334

39.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 SEK 26.12

$1.06 COP 3,771

162.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.24 SEK 30.45

$1.50 COP 5,365

116.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.79 SEK 44.97

$1.38 COP 4,915

247.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 SEK 17.19

$1.15 COP 4,104

59.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 SEK 18.34

$1.16 COP 4,148

68.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 SEK 24.14

$0.89 COP 3,176

188.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 SEK 12.58

$0.84 COP 2,992

59.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.13 SEK 76.4

$2.28 COP 8,131

256.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.10 SEK 114

$10.64 COP 37.9K

13.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 SEK 23.75

$1.20 COP 4,276

110.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 SEK 24.96

$2.47 COP 8,809

7.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.36 SEK 31.58

$0.86 COP 3,051

290.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.3 SEK 651

$41.40 COP 147.6K

67.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.44 SEK 60.5

$1.47 COP 5,255

338.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.64 SEK 24.80

$1.96 COP 6,997

34.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$56.2 SEK 528

$7.74 COP 27.6K

625.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 SEK 18.04

$0.95 COP 3,403

102.11%

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

$33.1K SEK 310.7K

$18.1K COP 64.6M

82.43%

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

$33.8K SEK 317.4K

$26.5K COP 94.4M

27.59%

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

$154 SEK 1,442

$82.3 COP 293.2K

86.71%

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

$30.36 SEK 285

$9.50 COP 33.9K

219.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.38 SEK 379

$24.23 COP 86.4K

66.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.30 SEK 360

$25.89 COP 92.3K

47.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.78 SEK 223

$19.00 COP 67.7K

25.16%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 SEK 167

$3.93 COP 14.0K

353.18%

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

$162 SEK 1,518

$309 COP 1.1M

-47.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,876 SEK 45.8K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-18.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 SEK 983

$58.7 COP 209.1K

78.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.70 SEK 429

$32.35 COP 115.3K

41.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 SEK 1,166

$103 COP 365.7K

21.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 SEK 1,552

$108 COP 386.5K

52.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$932 SEK 8,751

$476 COP 1.7M

95.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$773 SEK 7,264

$379 COP 1.4M

104.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,721 SEK 16.2K

$838 COP 3.0M

105.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,343 SEK 12.6K

$724 COP 2.6M

85.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,311 SEK 40.5K

$2,791 COP 9.9M

54.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,360 SEK 31.6K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

177.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,353 SEK 31.5K

$512 COP 1.8M

555.07%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $932 in Malmo versus $476 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 555% 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 $86.0 in Malmo versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $410 vs $188 – 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 $3,071 per month in Malmo and $1,519 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 $162 per month in Malmo and $309 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 118% 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 $1,013, than in Malmo at $2,047. 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 $1,013 versus $2,047 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.