Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Haparanda Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Haparanda

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,812 in Haparanda, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $2,763 in Haparanda, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $3,714 in Haparanda, rent included.

Medellin is about 43% cheaper than Haparanda, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Haparanda is 35% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$13.60 SEK 127

-56.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$72.8 SEK 677

-55.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$10.47 SEK 97.4

-31.23%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$4.77 SEK 44.40

-64.36%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$2.77 SEK 25.80

-60.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$2.43 SEK 22.57

-70.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$7.81 SEK 72.6

-78.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$7.52 SEK 69.9

-58.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.62 SEK 15.11

-34.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$2.79 SEK 25.97

-55.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$3.74 SEK 34.80

-62.83%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$4.02 SEK 37.43

-43.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$12.10 SEK 113

-64.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$11.77 SEK 109

-50.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$16.97 SEK 158

-47.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$3.05 SEK 28.38

-26.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.59 SEK 24.05

-58.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$3.10 SEK 28.87

-50.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$4.53 SEK 42.15

-69.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.63 SEK 15.13

-30.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.83 SEK 17.02

-38.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$2.51 SEK 23.38

-66.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.52 SEK 14.12

-40.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$7.52 SEK 69.9

-69.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$10.92 SEK 102

1.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.93 SEK 17.98

-38.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.90 SEK 17.66

24.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$3.45 SEK 32.09

-77.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$74.7 SEK 695

-44.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$6.24 SEK 58.0

-76.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.66 SEK 15.42

15.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$62.2 SEK 579

-87.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.89 SEK 17.59

-50.26%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$32.9K SEK 305.6K

-45.46%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$34.5K SEK 321.1K

-22.41%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$114 SEK 1,058

-26.21%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$28.84 SEK 268

-66.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$37.29 SEK 347

-35.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$39.78 SEK 370

-34.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$25.66 SEK 239

-25.80%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$15.71 SEK 146

-75.05%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$149 SEK 1,383

105.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$4,111 SEK 38.2K

43.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$95.9 SEK 892

-39.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$41.25 SEK 384

-22.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$98.4 SEK 915

1.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$152 SEK 1,415

-29.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$829 SEK 7,707

-41.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$646 SEK 6,008

-43.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$1,390 SEK 12.9K

-40.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$1,081 SEK 10.1K

-33.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$3,729 SEK 34.7K

-21.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$2,889 SEK 26.9K

-51.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$2,987 SEK 27.8K

-81.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.53

196.47%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Haparanda: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $829 in Haparanda. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 448% higher in Haparanda, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $73.0 in Haparanda. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $359 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Haparanda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Haparanda is pricier by about 75%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $2,718 in Haparanda. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 89% more in Haparanda, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $73.0 in Haparanda. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Haparanda at $1,812. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Haparanda it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Haparanda makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.