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: $1,641 in Medellin versus $1,955 in Boras.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,447 in Medellin versus $2,309 in Boras.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,253 in Medellin versus $2,663 in Boras.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 16% less than in Boras, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 19% above, Boras 42% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$13.41 SEK 130

-40.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$91.9 SEK 891

-47.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$10.37 SEK 101

-9.16%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$4.35 SEK 42.15

-32.41%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$2.17 SEK 21.08

-14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$2.11 SEK 20.47

-30.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$7.20 SEK 69.8

-55.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$7.09 SEK 68.7

-19.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.74 SEK 16.86

-17.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$2.85 SEK 27.60

-15.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$3.09 SEK 29.95

-44.98%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$4.59 SEK 44.52

-37.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$12.58 SEK 122

-20.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$12.08 SEK 117

-17.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$17.49 SEK 170

-18.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$3.14 SEK 30.41

26.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$2.78 SEK 26.96

-43.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$2.93 SEK 28.37

-26.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$3.73 SEK 36.13

-38.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$1.52 SEK 14.71

31.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$1.48 SEK 14.35

2.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$2.36 SEK 22.86

-49.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$1.45 SEK 14.04

-11.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$7.03 SEK 68.1

-45.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$8.48 SEK 82.2

65.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.84 SEK 17.79

-7.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$1.71 SEK 16.56

60.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$3.79 SEK 36.78

-67.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$81.7 SEK 792

-4.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$5.09 SEK 49.38

-74.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$1.13 SEK 10.93

92.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$43.04 SEK 417

-80.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.87 SEK 18.08

-27.27%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$26.2K SEK 253.8K

4.92%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$15.5K SEK 150.7K

135.10%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$62.4 SEK 604

170.60%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$31.71 SEK 307

-57.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$41.22 SEK 400

-31.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$36.00 SEK 349

26.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$26.08 SEK 253

-33.97%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$15.44 SEK 150

-56.93%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$166 SEK 1,605

385.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$52.3 SEK 507

66.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$51.6 SEK 501

14.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$83.3 SEK 807

66.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$102 SEK 991

-0.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$902 SEK 8,740

-27.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$2,469 SEK 23.9K

-73.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.8

127.92%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Boras: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Boras pays 277% 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: $48.00 in Medellin vs $92.0 in Boras for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $354 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, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 277% lower in Boras. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

All in, you'll spend $1,641 per month in Medellin versus $1,955 in Boras – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 5% less than in Boras. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,641 in Medellin versus $1,955 in Boras, a $2,500 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 19% less than in Boras. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.