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: $1,014 in Medellin versus $2,051 in Gothenburg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,596 in Medellin versus $3,215 in Gothenburg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,178 in Medellin versus $4,379 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 25% below, Gothenburg is 52% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.14 COP 22.2K

$13.78 SEK 127

-55.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.05 COP 119.3K

$92.4 SEK 849

-64.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.32 COP 26.4K

$10.69 SEK 98.2

-31.52%

Cappuccino

$1.66 COP 5,987

$4.78 SEK 43.94

-65.27%

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

$1.10 COP 3,987

$3.09 SEK 28.39

-64.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,822

$2.54 SEK 23.34

-69.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 COP 6,188

$7.29 SEK 67.0

-76.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 11.5K

$7.83 SEK 72.0

-59.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 4,012

$1.75 SEK 16.06

-36.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,719

$2.95 SEK 27.15

-55.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,980

$3.27 SEK 30.03

-57.80%

Eggs

$2.22 COP 8,009

$4.42 SEK 40.63

-49.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.34 COP 15.7K

$11.50 SEK 106

-62.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.9K

$12.54 SEK 115

-53.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.98 COP 32.4K

$18.44 SEK 170

-51.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 COP 8,164

$3.18 SEK 29.22

-28.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,023

$2.66 SEK 24.49

-58.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 COP 5,284

$2.99 SEK 27.48

-51.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,929

$4.34 SEK 39.88

-68.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,009

$1.73 SEK 15.92

-35.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,199

$1.89 SEK 17.34

-38.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,211

$2.19 SEK 20.09

-59.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 COP 3,124

$1.56 SEK 14.32

-44.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,495

$8.12 SEK 74.6

-71.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.86 COP 39.2K

$12.52 SEK 115

-13.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,330

$2.25 SEK 20.71

-46.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,946

$2.51 SEK 23.09

-1.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,842

$3.81 SEK 35.04

-79.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.77 COP 147.2K

$88.3 SEK 811

-53.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 5,137

$10.44 SEK 95.9

-86.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,900

$1.59 SEK 14.60

20.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.65 COP 27.6K

$63.5 SEK 583

-87.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 COP 3,490

$1.89 SEK 17.39

-48.68%

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

$18.1K COP 65.3M

$32.8K SEK 301.1K

-44.77%

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

$26.3K COP 95.0M

$35.8K SEK 329.4K

-26.60%

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

$81.3 COP 293.5K

$137 SEK 1,259

-40.63%

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

$9.63 COP 34.8K

$25.60 SEK 235

-62.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.36 COP 88.0K

$38.36 SEK 353

-36.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.02 COP 93.9K

$41.02 SEK 377

-36.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 COP 68.3K

$25.40 SEK 233

-25.51%

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 COP 14.0K

$17.50 SEK 161

-77.77%

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

$304 COP 1.1M

$173 SEK 1,592

75.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,902 COP 21.3M

$4,218 SEK 38.8K

39.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 211.8K

$88.5 SEK 814

-33.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.48 COP 117.2K

$39.93 SEK 367

-18.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 367.3K

$99.0 SEK 910

2.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 390.4K

$152 SEK 1,393

-28.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 COP 1.7M

$1,140 SEK 10.5K

-58.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$873 SEK 8,023

-57.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$848 COP 3.1M

$1,894 SEK 17.4K

-55.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$1,435 SEK 13.2K

-50.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,871 COP 10.4M

$6,409 SEK 58.9K

-55.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,375 COP 5.0M

$3,962 SEK 36.4K

-65.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$542 COP 2.0M

$3,940 SEK 36.2K

-86.26%

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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Gothenburg: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $474 in Medellin and $1,140 in Gothenburg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gothenburg pays 628% 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 in Medellin vs $92 in Gothenburg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $374 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 102% 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 628% 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: $474 in Medellin versus $1,140 in Gothenburg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $304 in Medellin versus $173 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 $1,014 in Medellin versus $2,051 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 $1,014 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 102% less than in Gothenburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.