Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Gothenburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Gothenburg

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $2,058 in Gothenburg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $3,193 in Gothenburg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $4,328 in Gothenburg.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 51% less than in Gothenburg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 24% below, Gothenburg is 54% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.3K

$13.74 SEK 129

-56.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 116.9K

$93.9 SEK 880

-64.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.2K

$10.34 SEK 97.0

-31.43%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,093

$4.73 SEK 44.40

-63.85%

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

$1.10 COP 3,910

$2.97 SEK 27.84

-62.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,771

$2.53 SEK 23.76

-69.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,976

$7.26 SEK 68.1

-76.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$7.72 SEK 72.4

-60.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,892

$1.68 SEK 15.75

-35.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,492

$2.85 SEK 26.75

-55.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,905

$3.32 SEK 31.11

-58.43%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,799

$4.65 SEK 43.63

-52.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$11.80 SEK 111

-62.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.0K

$12.61 SEK 118

-55.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.6K

$19.02 SEK 178

-53.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,319

$3.10 SEK 29.07

-24.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,764

$2.74 SEK 25.67

-61.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,355

$2.91 SEK 27.25

-48.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,906

$4.18 SEK 39.16

-66.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,097

$1.66 SEK 15.58

-30.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,141

$1.85 SEK 17.34

-37.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,170

$2.27 SEK 21.33

-60.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,986

$1.55 SEK 14.53

-45.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,116

$7.82 SEK 73.3

-70.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$15.32 SEK 144

-30.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,268

$2.26 SEK 21.19

-46.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,793

$2.61 SEK 24.45

-5.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,045

$3.80 SEK 35.63

-77.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

$88.6 SEK 831

-53.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,245

$10.11 SEK 94.8

-85.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,984

$1.66 SEK 15.56

18.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.5K

$61.7 SEK 579

-87.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,397

$1.89 SEK 17.73

-49.74%

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

$18.1K COP 64.5M

$32.0K SEK 300.4K

-43.40%

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

$26.5K COP 94.2M

$34.5K SEK 323.3K

-23.16%

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

$82.3 COP 292.7K

$138 SEK 1,299

-40.60%

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

$9.50 COP 33.8K

$24.95 SEK 234

-61.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.2K

$38.25 SEK 359

-36.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.1K

$41.78 SEK 392

-38.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

$25.26 SEK 237

-24.78%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$17.98 SEK 169

-78.14%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$175 SEK 1,646

76.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.2M

$4,215 SEK 39.5K

41.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 208.7K

$87.6 SEK 822

-33.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.1K

$40.28 SEK 378

-19.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.1K

$96.9 SEK 909

5.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 385.8K

$156 SEK 1,466

-30.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$1,125 SEK 10.6K

-57.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$873 SEK 8,190

-56.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,917 SEK 18.0K

-56.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$1,434 SEK 13.4K

-49.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$6,696 SEK 62.8K

-58.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$3,764 SEK 35.3K

-67.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$3,953 SEK 37.1K

-87.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.33

210.16%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Gothenburg: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $1,125 in Gothenburg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gothenburg pays 672% 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 $94.0 in Gothenburg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $381 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 Gothenburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 103% lower than in Gothenburg. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Gothenburg earns 672% 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 $1,125 in Gothenburg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $309 in Medellin versus $175 in Gothenburg. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 102% higher in Gothenburg. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $2,058 in Gothenburg, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Gothenburg. 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 $1,013 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Gothenburg 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 103% less than in Gothenburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.