Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Helsingborg Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Helsingborg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $1,763 in Helsingborg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $2,796 in Helsingborg, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $3,829 in Helsingborg, rent included.

Medellin is about 42% cheaper than Helsingborg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Helsingborg is 32% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$16.04 SEK 150

-62.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$74.7 SEK 699

-56.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$10.64 SEK 99.5

-30.26%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$4.78 SEK 44.69

-65.48%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$2.83 SEK 26.51

-62.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$2.65 SEK 24.75

-71.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$7.23 SEK 67.6

-76.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$6.16 SEK 57.7

-48.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$1.47 SEK 13.76

-28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$2.48 SEK 23.21

-47.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$2.66 SEK 24.84

-49.62%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$4.66 SEK 43.62

-53.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$10.21 SEK 95.5

-56.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$11.83 SEK 111

-51.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$16.59 SEK 155

-48.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$2.72 SEK 25.46

-13.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$2.82 SEK 26.34

-60.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$3.15 SEK 29.50

-51.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$3.68 SEK 34.39

-62.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$1.47 SEK 13.78

-21.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$1.40 SEK 13.11

-15.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$1.98 SEK 18.52

-57.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$1.70 SEK 15.90

-49.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$7.29 SEK 68.2

-69.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$9.54 SEK 89.2

21.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$2.42 SEK 22.61

-50.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$1.68 SEK 15.69

47.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$3.39 SEK 31.72

-76.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$66.1 SEK 618

-38.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$3.12 SEK 29.14

-52.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$1.65 SEK 15.45

16.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$19.79 SEK 185

-60.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$1.93 SEK 18.04

-47.67%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$33.1K SEK 309.3K

-46.60%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$33.9K SEK 317.5K

-22.06%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$118 SEK 1,108

-31.55%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$28.35 SEK 265

-66.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$36.38 SEK 340

-34.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$39.35 SEK 368

-33.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$22.06 SEK 206

-15.19%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$21.40 SEK 200

-80.89%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$143 SEK 1,342

119.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$4,216 SEK 39.4K

42.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$84.2 SEK 788

-29.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$44.17 SEK 413

-27.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$84.8 SEK 793

19.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$113 SEK 1,053

-6.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$812 SEK 7,600

-40.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$657 SEK 6,142

-44.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$1,352 SEK 12.6K

-38.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$1,123 SEK 10.5K

-34.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$3,316 SEK 31.0K

-9.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$2,430 SEK 22.7K

-45.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$3,099 SEK 29.0K

-82.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.66

188.20%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Helsingborg: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $812 in Helsingborg. 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 463% higher in Helsingborg, 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 $75.0 in Helsingborg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $340 – 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 Helsingborg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,028 in Medellin, $1,763 in Helsingborg – roughly 71% apart. Helsingborg costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,542 per month in Medellin and $2,645 in Helsingborg. 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.

Public transport costs about 62% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $315 per month in Medellin and $143 in Helsingborg. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,028, than in Helsingborg at $1,763. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Helsingborg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,028 in Medellin to $1,763 in Helsingborg. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Helsingborg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.