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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,750 per month in Marsta vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,757 per month in Marsta vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,764 per month in Marsta vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Marsta costs about 72% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Marsta sits 30% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.33 SEK 125

$5.95 COP 20.8K

124.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.3 SEK 631

$33.33 COP 116.3K

101.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.69 SEK 100

$7.23 COP 25.2K

47.86%

Cappuccino

$4.70 SEK 44.09

$1.63 COP 5,687

188.34%

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

$2.14 SEK 20.07

$1.09 COP 3,821

96.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 SEK 17.60

$0.73 COP 2,548

157.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.29 SEK 68.4

$1.74 COP 6,065

318.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.21 SEK 67.6

$3.23 COP 11.3K

123.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 SEK 17.39

$1.05 COP 3,662

76.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.16 SEK 29.64

$1.29 COP 4,515

144.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.98 SEK 37.34

$1.32 COP 4,617

201.52%

Eggs

$3.76 SEK 35.25

$2.27 COP 7,927

65.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.19 SEK 133

$4.35 COP 15.2K

226.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.73 SEK 91.3

$5.88 COP 20.5K

65.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.83 SEK 149

$8.61 COP 30.0K

83.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.52 SEK 32.99

$2.25 COP 7,844

56.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 SEK 24.15

$1.07 COP 3,733

140.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.21 SEK 30.14

$1.52 COP 5,322

111.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.87 SEK 36.27

$1.42 COP 4,964

172.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 SEK 14.52

$1.17 COP 4,084

32.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 SEK 15.19

$1.17 COP 4,077

38.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.68 SEK 25.16

$0.89 COP 3,096

201.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SEK 16.33

$0.90 COP 3,146

93.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.30 SEK 68.5

$2.25 COP 7,837

224.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.65 SEK 99.9

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-3.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SEK 16.08

$1.14 COP 3,977

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 SEK 17.90

$2.38 COP 8,301

-19.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.25 SEK 39.86

$0.84 COP 2,916

405.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.1 SEK 929

$41.95 COP 146.4K

136.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.07 SEK 113

$1.41 COP 4,912

756.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 SEK 15.42

$1.90 COP 6,634

-13.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.6 SEK 549

$7.75 COP 27.0K

655.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 SEK 18.60

$1.01 COP 3,509

96.04%

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

$32.7K SEK 306.4K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

85.78%

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

$34.4K SEK 323.2K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

30.02%

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

$88.8 SEK 833

$83.7 COP 292.1K

6.17%

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

$27.88 SEK 262

$9.45 COP 33.0K

195.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.73 SEK 345

$24.11 COP 84.1K

52.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.68 SEK 269

$25.31 COP 88.3K

13.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.49 SEK 239

$19.14 COP 66.8K

33.18%

Cinema Ticket

$15.77 SEK 148

$4.10 COP 14.3K

284.63%

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

$145 SEK 1,358

$312 COP 1.1M

-53.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$746 SEK 6,999

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-87.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.4 SEK 735

$58.0 COP 202.6K

34.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.16 SEK 405

$32.56 COP 113.6K

32.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.8 SEK 936

$99.6 COP 347.7K

0.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 SEK 1,001

$109 COP 378.8K

-1.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$831 SEK 7,800

$482 COP 1.7M

72.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$644 SEK 6,036

$379 COP 1.3M

69.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 SEK 13.3K

$837 COP 2.9M

68.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,081 SEK 10.1K

$723 COP 2.5M

49.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,574 SEK 42.9K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

61.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,555 SEK 24.0K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

108.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,884 SEK 45.8K

$541 COP 1.9M

803.08%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $831 in Marsta versus $482 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 803% 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 $67.0 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 72%, 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 $2,625 per month in Marsta and $1,525 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 $67.0 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 $1,750 in Marsta and $1,017 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 $1,017, than in Marsta at $1,750. 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.