Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bålsta Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bålsta

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,592 in Bålsta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $2,508 in Bålsta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $3,424 in Bålsta.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 36% less than in Bålsta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 24% below, Bålsta is 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$12.97 SEK 122

-54.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$69.6 SEK 652

-52.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$9.52 SEK 89.3

-24.05%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$4.26 SEK 39.97

-61.74%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$2.84 SEK 26.66

-61.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$2.41 SEK 22.63

-69.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$7.49 SEK 70.3

-76.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$7.26 SEK 68.2

-55.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.54 SEK 14.45

-31.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$2.06 SEK 19.29

-37.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$3.66 SEK 34.32

-63.93%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$3.69 SEK 34.62

-38.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$11.77 SEK 110

-63.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$12.01 SEK 113

-51.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$11.40 SEK 107

-24.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.59 SEK 24.28

-13.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$2.69 SEK 25.24

-60.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.30 SEK 21.62

-33.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$2.98 SEK 27.94

-52.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.55 SEK 14.50

-24.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.30 SEK 12.17

-10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.61 SEK 15.15

-44.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.07 SEK 10.07

-15.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$7.58 SEK 71.1

-70.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$10.33 SEK 96.9

6.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.61 SEK 15.14

-29.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.89 SEK 17.75

25.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$3.31 SEK 31.03

-74.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$72.9 SEK 684

-42.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$6.10 SEK 57.3

-76.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.20 SEK 11.24

58.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$83.0 SEK 778

-90.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.91 SEK 17.89

-47.12%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$32.4K SEK 303.9K

-45.74%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$34.2K SEK 321.2K

-22.62%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$51.8 SEK 486

61.58%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$21.14 SEK 198

-55.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$35.91 SEK 337

-32.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$39.95 SEK 375

-36.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$25.28 SEK 237

-24.29%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$13.45 SEK 126

-69.52%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$129 SEK 1,206

142.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$736 SEK 6,904

714.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$74.6 SEK 700

-22.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$10.50 SEK 98.5

210.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$84.0 SEK 788

18.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$117 SEK 1,099

-7.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$834 SEK 7,825

-42.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$655 SEK 6,146

-42.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$1,380 SEK 12.9K

-39.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$1,086 SEK 10.2K

-33.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$4,805 SEK 45.1K

-40.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$2,705 SEK 25.4K

-54.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$4,170 SEK 39.1K

-87.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

347.67%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Bålsta: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $834 in Bålsta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bålsta pays 671% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $70.0 in Bålsta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $307 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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

Medellin vs Bålsta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 57% lower than in Bålsta. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Bålsta earns 671% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $482 in Medellin versus $834 in Bålsta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $1,592 in Bålsta – a 57% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 74% less than in Bålsta. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,592 in Bålsta, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Bålsta. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,017 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Bålsta are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Bålsta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.