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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,638 in Bålsta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $2,559 in Bålsta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $3,481 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 23% below, Bålsta is 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$13.05 SEK 121

-54.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$69.9 SEK 650

-53.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$9.48 SEK 88.1

-24.05%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$4.28 SEK 39.80

-60.28%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$2.79 SEK 25.97

-60.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$2.41 SEK 22.38

-70.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$7.19 SEK 66.9

-76.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$7.40 SEK 68.8

-58.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.62 SEK 15.03

-34.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$2.15 SEK 20.03

-41.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$3.65 SEK 33.91

-61.92%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$3.71 SEK 34.54

-39.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$11.53 SEK 107

-62.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$11.81 SEK 110

-50.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$11.55 SEK 107

-23.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.71 SEK 25.23

-17.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.57 SEK 23.94

-57.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.30 SEK 21.43

-33.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$2.96 SEK 27.53

-53.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.52 SEK 14.10

-25.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.26 SEK 11.71

-11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.60 SEK 14.84

-46.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.03 SEK 9.54

-11.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$7.32 SEK 68.1

-68.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$10.76 SEK 100

3.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.55 SEK 14.41

-23.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.98 SEK 18.45

19.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$3.41 SEK 31.70

-76.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$72.4 SEK 673

-43.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$6.05 SEK 56.2

-76.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.24 SEK 11.52

54.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$83.3 SEK 775

-90.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.92 SEK 17.84

-51.04%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$32.8K SEK 304.6K

-45.29%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$34.8K SEK 323.3K

-22.93%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$52.7 SEK 490

59.32%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$20.59 SEK 192

-53.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$37.27 SEK 347

-35.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$39.89 SEK 371

-35.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$24.82 SEK 231

-23.29%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$13.91 SEK 129

-71.82%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$125 SEK 1,160

145.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$747 SEK 6,948

692.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$72.6 SEK 675

-20.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$10.72 SEK 99.7

196.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$83.2 SEK 774

20.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$118 SEK 1,095

-9.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$855 SEK 7,952

-43.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$656 SEK 6,097

-43.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$1,404 SEK 13.1K

-41.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$1,078 SEK 10.0K

-33.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$4,367 SEK 40.6K

-33.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$2,982 SEK 27.7K

-52.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$4,261 SEK 39.6K

-87.20%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Bålsta: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $855 in Bålsta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bålsta pays 681% 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 58% 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 681% 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: $487 in Medellin versus $855 in Bålsta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $1,638 in Bålsta – a 58% 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 $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,638 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 $1,034 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 58% less than in Bålsta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.