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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,790 per month in Marsta vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,746 per month in Marsta vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,703 per month in Marsta vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Marsta costs about 79% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Marsta sits 34% above the global median, while Medellin is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.37 SEK 127

$5.91 COP 18.6K

126.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.6 SEK 662

$32.96 COP 103.8K

111.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.39 SEK 98.7

$7.43 COP 23.4K

39.84%

Cappuccino

$4.46 SEK 42.39

$1.65 COP 5,207

170.30%

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

$2.10 SEK 19.93

$1.10 COP 3,468

90.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 SEK 17.81

$0.78 COP 2,458

139.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.29 SEK 69.2

$1.72 COP 5,412

323.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.53 SEK 71.5

$3.18 COP 10.0K

136.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 SEK 17.06

$1.10 COP 3,474

63.64%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 SEK 29.20

$1.26 COP 3,962

143.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.02 SEK 38.22

$1.38 COP 4,349

191.30%

Eggs

$3.69 SEK 35.06

$2.18 COP 6,858

69.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.91 SEK 132

$4.49 COP 14.1K

209.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.56 SEK 90.9

$5.79 COP 18.2K

65.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 SEK 151

$8.97 COP 28.2K

77.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.61 SEK 34.25

$2.32 COP 7,308

55.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 SEK 25.67

$1.06 COP 3,352

154.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.18 SEK 30.20

$1.52 COP 4,774

109.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.87 SEK 36.81

$1.36 COP 4,270

184.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 SEK 14.32

$1.13 COP 3,552

33.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 SEK 15.20

$1.17 COP 3,689

36.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.75 SEK 26.13

$0.90 COP 2,838

205.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SEK 16.56

$0.90 COP 2,823

93.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.48 SEK 71.0

$2.23 COP 7,034

235.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.31 SEK 98.0

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-14.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 SEK 16.14

$1.19 COP 3,743

42.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 SEK 18.77

$2.48 COP 7,815

-20.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.26 SEK 40.50

$0.85 COP 2,687

401.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$102 SEK 971

$41.62 COP 131.0K

145.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.06 SEK 115

$1.42 COP 4,459

749.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 SEK 15.57

$1.95 COP 6,141

-15.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.9 SEK 560

$7.89 COP 24.8K

646.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 SEK 18.10

$0.99 COP 3,118

92.93%

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

$33.0K SEK 313.8K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

87.64%

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

$34.4K SEK 327.2K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

28.51%

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

$88.4 SEK 839

$83.0 COP 261.4K

6.45%

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

$27.99 SEK 266

$9.70 COP 30.5K

188.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.99 SEK 342

$23.52 COP 74.1K

53.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.76 SEK 273

$25.26 COP 79.5K

13.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.60 SEK 243

$19.10 COP 60.1K

34.03%

Cinema Ticket

$15.86 SEK 151

$3.95 COP 12.4K

301.52%

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

$143 SEK 1,362

$316 COP 994.2K

-54.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$726 SEK 6,898

$5,975 COP 18.8M

-87.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.0 SEK 760

$60.0 COP 188.9K

33.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.89 SEK 417

$31.82 COP 100.2K

37.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.4 SEK 935

$102 COP 320.1K

-3.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 SEK 1,017

$107 COP 338.3K

-0.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$843 SEK 8,012

$475 COP 1.5M

77.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 SEK 6,202

$374 COP 1.2M

74.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,398 SEK 13.3K

$849 COP 2.7M

64.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,088 SEK 10.3K

$719 COP 2.3M

51.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,464 SEK 42.4K

$3,265 COP 10.3M

36.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,186 SEK 30.3K

$1,441 COP 4.5M

121.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,806 SEK 45.7K

$624 COP 2.0M

669.69%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $843 in Marsta versus $475 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 670% 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 $70.0 in Marsta versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $356 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

Marsta vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Marsta is pricier by about 79%, 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 $2,685 per month in Marsta and $1,504 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 $70.0 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 $1,790 in Marsta and $1,003 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 $1,003, than in Marsta at $1,790. 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.