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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,596 in Bålsta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $2,543 in Bålsta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $3,490 in Bålsta.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 37% less than in Bålsta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 25% below, Bålsta is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$13.40 SEK 127

-55.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$69.6 SEK 661

-52.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$9.18 SEK 87.2

-19.06%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$4.17 SEK 39.60

-60.43%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$2.69 SEK 25.54

-59.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$2.47 SEK 23.47

-68.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$7.56 SEK 71.8

-77.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$7.43 SEK 70.6

-57.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.61 SEK 15.28

-31.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$2.09 SEK 19.83

-39.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$3.75 SEK 35.58

-63.20%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$3.81 SEK 36.22

-42.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$11.47 SEK 109

-60.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$11.86 SEK 113

-51.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$11.81 SEK 112

-24.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.67 SEK 25.35

-13.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$2.59 SEK 24.64

-59.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$2.30 SEK 21.86

-33.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$2.92 SEK 27.75

-53.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.54 SEK 14.63

-26.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.25 SEK 11.91

-6.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.62 SEK 15.35

-44.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.08 SEK 10.23

-16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$7.59 SEK 72.1

-70.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$10.13 SEK 96.2

19.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.62 SEK 15.36

-26.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.90 SEK 18.03

30.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$3.47 SEK 33.01

-75.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$73.3 SEK 696

-43.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$6.15 SEK 58.5

-76.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.23 SEK 11.71

58.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$82.5 SEK 784

-90.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.94 SEK 18.44

-48.97%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$32.9K SEK 312.2K

-46.44%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$34.0K SEK 322.6K

-21.09%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$52.4 SEK 498

58.42%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$20.96 SEK 199

-53.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$37.17 SEK 353

-36.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$41.28 SEK 392

-38.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$24.99 SEK 237

-23.57%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$13.88 SEK 132

-71.54%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$125 SEK 1,188

152.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$732 SEK 6,951

716.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$73.9 SEK 702

-18.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$10.41 SEK 98.9

205.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$82.8 SEK 787

22.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$116 SEK 1,098

-7.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$825 SEK 7,841

-42.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$654 SEK 6,218

-42.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$1,419 SEK 13.5K

-40.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$1,083 SEK 10.3K

-33.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$3,504 SEK 33.3K

-6.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$3,134 SEK 29.8K

-54.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$3,952 SEK 37.5K

-84.20%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bålsta: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $825 in Bålsta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bålsta pays 533% 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 $193 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

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 59% 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, salaries run 533% 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: $475 in Medellin versus $825 in Bålsta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $1,596 in Bålsta – a 59% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 76% less than in Bålsta. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,596 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 $1,003 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 59% less than in Bålsta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.