Cost of Living Comparison Between Marsta and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Marsta and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,802 per month in Marsta vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,754 per month in Marsta vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,706 per month in Marsta vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Marsta costs about 74% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Marsta sits 35% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.22 SEK 123

$5.92 COP 21.5K

123.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 SEK 634

$32.75 COP 119.1K

108.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.60 SEK 98.3

$7.20 COP 26.2K

47.22%

Cappuccino

$4.45 SEK 41.24

$1.70 COP 6,186

161.76%

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

$2.17 SEK 20.11

$1.10 COP 3,996

97.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 SEK 17.38

$0.72 COP 2,625

159.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.41 SEK 68.7

$1.67 COP 6,067

343.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.34 SEK 68.0

$3.10 COP 11.3K

136.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 SEK 16.51

$1.06 COP 3,837

67.92%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 SEK 29.87

$1.25 COP 4,531

157.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.98 SEK 36.88

$1.39 COP 5,060

186.33%

Eggs

$3.82 SEK 35.43

$2.26 COP 8,229

69.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.00 SEK 130

$4.33 COP 15.8K

223.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.60 SEK 89.0

$5.84 COP 21.2K

64.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.73 SEK 146

$8.83 COP 32.1K

78.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 SEK 34.21

$2.24 COP 8,159

64.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 SEK 23.75

$1.08 COP 3,911

137.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.14 SEK 29.12

$1.53 COP 5,563

105.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.99 SEK 37.00

$1.37 COP 4,987

191.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 SEK 14.07

$1.13 COP 4,109

34.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 SEK 15.03

$1.12 COP 4,067

44.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.70 SEK 25.03

$0.85 COP 3,080

217.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SEK 16.27

$0.91 COP 3,305

92.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.17 SEK 66.5

$2.33 COP 8,477

207.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.63 SEK 98.5

$11.13 COP 40.5K

-4.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SEK 16.60

$1.19 COP 4,342

50.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 SEK 17.40

$2.37 COP 8,617

-20.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.13 SEK 38.28

$0.79 COP 2,859

422.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$101 SEK 933

$41.13 COP 149.6K

144.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.25 SEK 114

$1.44 COP 5,223

750.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 SEK 15.12

$1.91 COP 6,952

-14.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.0 SEK 556

$8.02 COP 29.2K

648.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.00 SEK 18.56

$0.94 COP 3,410

112.77%

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

$33.0K SEK 305.5K

$17.9K COP 65.2M

83.89%

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

$34.3K SEK 317.8K

$26.8K COP 97.4M

27.98%

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

$88.1 SEK 817

$84.0 COP 305.4K

4.91%

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

$28.80 SEK 267

$9.60 COP 34.9K

200.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.96 SEK 343

$24.16 COP 87.9K

52.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.08 SEK 270

$25.88 COP 94.1K

12.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.91 SEK 231

$19.04 COP 69.3K

30.83%

Cinema Ticket

$15.84 SEK 147

$3.92 COP 14.2K

304.08%

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

$144 SEK 1,334

$306 COP 1.1M

-53.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$746 SEK 6,914

$5,919 COP 21.5M

-87.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 SEK 720

$57.9 COP 210.6K

34.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.96 SEK 398

$31.82 COP 115.7K

35.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 SEK 935

$99.9 COP 363.3K

0.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 SEK 996

$107 COP 389.7K

0.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$855 SEK 7,926

$487 COP 1.8M

75.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$645 SEK 5,977

$368 COP 1.3M

75.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,379 SEK 12.8K

$826 COP 3.0M

67.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 SEK 10.1K

$716 COP 2.6M

51.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,869 SEK 35.9K

$2,925 COP 10.6M

32.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,651 SEK 24.6K

$1,407 COP 5.1M

88.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,003 SEK 46.4K

$546 COP 2.0M

817.11%

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 Marsta: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $855 in Marsta versus $487 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 817% higher in Marsta, 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 $68.0 in Marsta versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $358 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

Marsta vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Marsta is pricier by about 74%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,703 per month in Marsta and $1,550 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Marsta and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,802 in Marsta and $1,034 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Marsta at $1,802. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Marsta it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Marsta makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.