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: $1,681 in Medellin versus $1,619 in Bålsta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $2,516 in Bålsta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $3,413 in Bålsta.

Living in Medellin is roughly 4% more expensive than in Bålsta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 23% above, Bålsta 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$14.12 SEK 139

-43.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$67.5 SEK 665

-29.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$9.05 SEK 89.2

9.28%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$4.13 SEK 40.75

-24.21%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$2.76 SEK 27.22

-30.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$2.24 SEK 22.07

-32.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$7.50 SEK 73.9

-58.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$7.43 SEK 73.2

-22.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.58 SEK 15.61

-8.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$2.02 SEK 19.95

23.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$3.59 SEK 35.37

-50.70%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$3.73 SEK 36.79

-20.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$11.52 SEK 114

-12.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$12.47 SEK 123

-18.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$11.53 SEK 114

24.02%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.65 SEK 26.16

56.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$2.77 SEK 27.34

-41.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.13 SEK 21.01

5.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$2.90 SEK 28.55

-22.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.47 SEK 14.47

38.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.29 SEK 12.66

19.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.58 SEK 15.55

-25.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$1.01 SEK 9.94

29.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$7.26 SEK 71.6

-46.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$10.21 SEK 101

37.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.58 SEK 15.54

10.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.14 SEK 21.10

34.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$3.42 SEK 33.73

-64.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$81.7 SEK 805

-1.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$6.31 SEK 62.2

-79.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$1.54 SEK 15.21

42.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$79.6 SEK 784

-89.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.81 SEK 17.88

-24.31%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$34.8K SEK 343.0K

-20.02%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$33.9K SEK 333.7K

5.64%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$51.4 SEK 506

245.14%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$20.63 SEK 203

-32.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$40.94 SEK 403

-27.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$39.69 SEK 391

13.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$26.10 SEK 257

-34.41%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$13.79 SEK 136

-51.78%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$126 SEK 1,245

543.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$5,266 SEK 51.9K

74.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$73.8 SEK 727

21.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$10.48 SEK 103

462.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$83.7 SEK 825

65.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$115 SEK 1,131

-11.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$831 SEK 8,191

27.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$605 SEK 5,964

9.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$1,417 SEK 14.0K

33.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$1,041 SEK 10.3K

-1.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$4,263 SEK 42.0K

-1.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$2,890 SEK 28.5K

-42.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$3,987 SEK 39.3K

-83.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

264.67%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Bålsta: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $831 in Bålsta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bålsta pays 488% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $68.0 in Bålsta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $308 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

Bålsta wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bålsta the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 488% lower in Bålsta. 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: $1,062 in Medellin versus $831 in Bålsta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $1,619 in Bålsta – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bålsta runs roughly 2% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,619 in Bålsta versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bålsta but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Bålsta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bålsta delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,619 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bålsta 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 Bålsta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.