Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Boras Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Boras

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,947 in Boras.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $2,766 in Boras.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $3,586 in Boras.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 48% less than in Boras, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 24% below, Boras is 45% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$12.77 SEK 120

-53.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$70.4 SEK 661

-53.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$10.65 SEK 100

-33.43%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$4.56 SEK 42.84

-62.50%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$2.24 SEK 21.03

-50.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$2.14 SEK 20.14

-63.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$7.94 SEK 74.6

-78.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$7.27 SEK 68.3

-57.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.67 SEK 15.68

-34.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$2.23 SEK 20.96

-43.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$3.04 SEK 28.52

-54.61%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$4.50 SEK 42.28

-51.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$13.10 SEK 123

-66.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$11.63 SEK 109

-51.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$17.39 SEK 163

-48.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$2.69 SEK 25.30

-13.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$2.87 SEK 26.96

-63.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$2.81 SEK 26.42

-46.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$3.59 SEK 33.68

-61.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.61 SEK 15.16

-28.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.60 SEK 15.04

-27.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$1.42 SEK 13.34

-37.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$1.46 SEK 13.76

-42.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$8.24 SEK 77.4

-72.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$9.83 SEK 92.4

8.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.94 SEK 18.25

-38.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$1.71 SEK 16.09

44.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$3.73 SEK 35.05

-76.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$86.6 SEK 813

-52.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$6.18 SEK 58.0

-76.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$1.89 SEK 17.79

3.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$63.9 SEK 600

-87.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.90 SEK 17.88

-50.00%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$26.3K SEK 247.1K

-31.09%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$25.0K SEK 235.0K

5.86%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$75.9 SEK 713

8.31%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$28.10 SEK 264

-66.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$27.50 SEK 258

-11.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$34.14 SEK 321

-24.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$23.96 SEK 225

-20.70%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$15.89 SEK 149

-75.27%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$160 SEK 1,506

93.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$4,124 SEK 38.7K

44.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$81.5 SEK 766

-28.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$40.01 SEK 376

-19.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$95.3 SEK 895

7.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$110 SEK 1,034

-1.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$846 SEK 7,943

-43.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$902 SEK 8,475

-58.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,367 SEK 12.8K

-38.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$1,096 SEK 10.3K

-33.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$3,942 SEK 37.0K

-29.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$3,388 SEK 31.8K

-64.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$2,547 SEK 23.9K

-79.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.8

179.79%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Boras: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $846 in Boras. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Boras pays 398% 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 Boras for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $343 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 Boras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 92% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Boras earns 398% 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: $476 in Medellin versus $846 in Boras. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $1,947 in Boras – a 92% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 109% less than in Boras. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,947 in Boras, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Boras. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Boras, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Boras 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 92% less than in Boras. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.