Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Eskilstuna

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,639 a month against $1,754 in Eskilstuna, rent and utilities included – about $1,400 less a year. The total is higher in Eskilstuna despite lower rent and utilities.

Medellin, Colombia
Eskilstuna, Sweden
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Eskilstuna
🇸🇪 Sweden
$1,754
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Eskilstuna

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Eskilstuna actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,639 in Medellin versus $1,754 in Eskilstuna.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Eskilstuna $1,754

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,413 in Medellin versus $2,671 in Eskilstuna.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Eskilstuna $2,671

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,186 in Medellin versus $3,589 in Eskilstuna.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Eskilstuna $3,589

Living in Medellin costs roughly 7% less than in Eskilstuna, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 20% above, Eskilstuna 29% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Eskilstuna
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 26.1K
$13.67 SEK 134
-40.82%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 151.7K
$66.1 SEK 649
-28.80%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.6K
$7.49 SEK 73.5
26.84%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,722
$4.41 SEK 43.25
-31.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,801
$2.53 SEK 24.79
-28.85%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,554
$2.22 SEK 21.80
-36.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 10.2K
$6.95 SEK 68.2
-54.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.5K
$6.33 SEK 62.1
-9.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Eskilstuna
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,869
$1.71 SEK 16.79
-11.70%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,667
$3.05 SEK 29.98
-21.97%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,712
$3.46 SEK 33.94
-48.84%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,320
$3.97 SEK 38.95
-27.20%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.9K
$13.57 SEK 133
-24.91%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.8K
$12.31 SEK 121
-19.82%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 45.1K
$12.83 SEK 126
9.04%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.8K
$3.22 SEK 31.62
23.29%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 5,005
$2.69 SEK 26.36
-42.38%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,039
$2.49 SEK 24.44
-12.45%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,041
$3.71 SEK 36.44
-41.24%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,328
$1.49 SEK 14.59
31.54%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,125
$1.72 SEK 16.86
-7.56%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,694
$3.18 SEK 31.25
-63.84%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 4,009
$1.75 SEK 17.14
-29.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.8K
$7.33 SEK 71.9
-45.98%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 44.1K
$7.92 SEK 77.7
72.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,352
$1.96 SEK 19.25
-15.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,281
$2.29 SEK 22.45
-1.31%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Eskilstuna
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,766
$3.24 SEK 31.81
-63.89%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 249.5K
$66.8 SEK 656
15.82%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,089
$13.03 SEK 128
-90.25%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,603
$1.96 SEK 19.24
4.59%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 27.6K
$79.9 SEK 784
-89.30%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,343
$1.70 SEK 16.64
-20.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 109.8M
$32.9K SEK 323.3K
3.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 111.8M
$32.9K SEK 322.4K
5.52%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Eskilstuna
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 547.0K
$177 SEK 1,738
-4.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 43.7K
$27.88 SEK 274
-51.40%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 90.5K
$38.14 SEK 374
-26.40%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Eskilstuna
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 140.9K
$24.11 SEK 237
81.25%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 55.4K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 22.3K
$11.21 SEK 110
-38.36%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Eskilstuna
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.6M
$148 SEK 1,451
438.85%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 29.4M
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Eskilstuna
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 273.2K
$99.2 SEK 973
-14.58%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 186.9K
$30.35 SEK 298
90.97%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 435.2K
$91.5 SEK 898
47.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 315.6K
$153 SEK 1,505
-36.19%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Eskilstuna
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.9M
$712 SEK 6,983
69.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.1M
$591 SEK 5,800
8.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.5M
$1,164 SEK 11.4K
74.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.3M
$1,001 SEK 9,820
1.11%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.4M
$3,057 SEK 30.0K
36.41%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.2M
$2,558 SEK 25.1K
-25.31%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Eskilstuna
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
$4,085 SEK 40.1K
-83.91%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
2.8
290.71%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Eskilstuna: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Eskilstuna
$591 7.9% $50
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Eskilstuna
$351 18.1% $54
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Eskilstuna
$243 15.1% $32
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Eskilstuna
$251 48.1% $82
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Eskilstuna
$168 0.3% $0.5
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Eskilstuna
$103 9.7% $9
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Eskilstuna
$47 19.1% $11

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,208 in Medellin and $712 in Eskilstuna. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Eskilstuna pays about 6.2 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $47 in Medellin vs $66 in Eskilstuna for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $351 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇸🇪 Eskilstuna
🕒 Local time
11:10 11:10 AM
17:10 5:10 PM
6 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
67,359
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

SEK, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 3,224 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,600 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 9.81 SEK (1 SEK = 0.102 USD). 1 EUR = 10.96 SEK (100 SEK = 9.13 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Eskilstuna 9,530 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Eskilstuna

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Eskilstuna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Medellin or Eskilstuna?
Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Eskilstuna. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Medellin or in Eskilstuna?
On paper, salaries run 84% lower in Medellin. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Medellin compared to Eskilstuna?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,208 in Medellin versus $712 in Eskilstuna. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Medellin compared to Eskilstuna?
All in, you’ll spend $1,639 per month in Medellin versus $1,754 in Eskilstuna – Medellin is about 7% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
How expensive is transport in Medellin compared to Eskilstuna?
A monthly transit pass in Eskilstuna runs roughly 14% less than in Medellin. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Can you live on $2,500/month in Medellin or in Eskilstuna?
Either city works on $2,500 a month, though Medellin gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Medellin or Eskilstuna?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Should I move to Medellin or to Eskilstuna?
It comes down to priorities – Medellin wins on affordability, Eskilstuna on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

Medellin vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?