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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $2,063 in Gothenburg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $3,240 in Gothenburg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $4,417 in Gothenburg.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 50% less than in Gothenburg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% below, Gothenburg is 54% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$13.74 SEK 133

-55.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$91.2 SEK 883

-64.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$10.42 SEK 101

-29.56%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$4.86 SEK 47.02

-64.61%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$3.08 SEK 29.79

-65.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$2.56 SEK 24.81

-69.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$7.43 SEK 71.9

-77.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$7.72 SEK 74.7

-58.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.76 SEK 17.02

-40.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$2.87 SEK 27.83

-54.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$3.34 SEK 32.35

-58.08%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$4.63 SEK 44.87

-53.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$11.67 SEK 113

-62.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$12.41 SEK 120

-52.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$18.65 SEK 181

-53.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$3.07 SEK 29.77

-25.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.64 SEK 25.60

-57.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.93 SEK 28.35

-47.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$4.31 SEK 41.74

-68.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.76 SEK 16.99

-35.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.87 SEK 18.13

-39.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$2.22 SEK 21.45

-61.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.59 SEK 15.40

-42.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$7.94 SEK 76.9

-70.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$14.36 SEK 139

-13.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.20 SEK 21.29

-45.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.53 SEK 24.48

-1.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$3.92 SEK 38.00

-78.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$90.9 SEK 880

-55.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$10.16 SEK 98.4

-86.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.67 SEK 16.12

14.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$61.6 SEK 596

-87.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.96 SEK 18.98

-49.49%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$32.2K SEK 311.6K

-43.97%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$35.6K SEK 344.3K

-25.12%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$140 SEK 1,358

-42.41%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$25.00 SEK 242

-60.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$38.56 SEK 373

-37.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$41.38 SEK 401

-39.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$24.81 SEK 240

-22.81%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$18.04 SEK 175

-77.94%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$178 SEK 1,722

71.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$4,177 SEK 40.4K

45.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$89.5 SEK 867

-35.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$39.39 SEK 381

-18.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$95.4 SEK 923

5.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$153 SEK 1,477

-29.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$1,096 SEK 10.6K

-56.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$860 SEK 8,328

-56.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,875 SEK 18.2K

-54.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$1,404 SEK 13.6K

-47.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$6,493 SEK 62.9K

-50.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$3,504 SEK 33.9K

-60.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$3,590 SEK 34.8K

-82.82%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Gothenburg: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $1,096 in Gothenburg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gothenburg pays 482% 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 $91.0 in Gothenburg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $377 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 100% 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, salaries run 482% lower in Gothenburg. 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: $477 in Medellin versus $1,096 in Gothenburg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $305 in Medellin versus $178 in Gothenburg. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 96% higher in Gothenburg. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $2,063 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 $1,031 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 100% less than in Gothenburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.