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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,014 per month in Medellin vs $1,770 in Helsingborg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,596 per month in Medellin vs $2,788 in Helsingborg, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,178 per month in Medellin vs $3,807 in Helsingborg, rent included.

Medellin is about 43% cheaper than Helsingborg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 25% below the global median, while Helsingborg is 31% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.14 COP 22.2K

$15.88 SEK 146

-61.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.05 COP 119.3K

$73.8 SEK 678

-55.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.32 COP 26.4K

$10.72 SEK 98.5

-31.72%

Cappuccino

$1.66 COP 5,987

$4.71 SEK 43.27

-64.76%

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

$1.10 COP 3,987

$2.83 SEK 25.99

-61.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,822

$2.65 SEK 24.35

-70.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 COP 6,188

$7.40 SEK 68.1

-76.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 11.5K

$6.31 SEK 58.0

-49.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 4,012

$1.53 SEK 14.05

-27.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,719

$2.48 SEK 22.76

-47.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,980

$2.59 SEK 23.84

-46.72%

Eggs

$2.22 COP 8,009

$4.72 SEK 43.34

-52.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.34 COP 15.7K

$10.45 SEK 96.0

-58.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.9K

$11.83 SEK 109

-50.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.98 COP 32.4K

$16.43 SEK 151

-45.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 COP 8,164

$2.77 SEK 25.45

-18.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,023

$2.75 SEK 25.28

-59.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 COP 5,284

$3.13 SEK 28.74

-53.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,929

$3.84 SEK 35.32

-64.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,009

$1.50 SEK 13.82

-26.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,199

$1.48 SEK 13.62

-21.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,211

$2.02 SEK 18.55

-55.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 COP 3,124

$1.70 SEK 15.62

-48.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,495

$7.37 SEK 67.7

-68.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.86 COP 39.2K

$10.57 SEK 97.2

2.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,330

$2.34 SEK 21.48

-48.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,946

$1.74 SEK 15.97

42.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,842

$3.40 SEK 31.25

-76.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.77 COP 147.2K

$64.9 SEK 596

-37.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 5,137

$3.15 SEK 28.92

-54.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,900

$1.65 SEK 15.17

15.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.65 COP 27.6K

$19.98 SEK 184

-61.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 COP 3,490

$1.90 SEK 17.50

-48.95%

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

$18.1K COP 65.3M

$32.8K SEK 301.4K

-44.82%

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

$26.3K COP 95.0M

$34.0K SEK 312.4K

-22.62%

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

$81.3 COP 293.5K

$119 SEK 1,097

-31.87%

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

$9.63 COP 34.8K

$28.14 SEK 259

-65.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.36 COP 88.0K

$35.76 SEK 329

-31.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.02 COP 93.9K

$39.54 SEK 363

-34.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 COP 68.3K

$22.16 SEK 204

-14.62%

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 COP 14.0K

$21.26 SEK 195

-81.70%

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

$304 COP 1.1M

$146 SEK 1,343

108.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,902 COP 21.3M

$4,061 SEK 37.3K

45.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 211.8K

$81.6 SEK 749

-28.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.48 COP 117.2K

$43.01 SEK 395

-24.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 367.3K

$85.0 SEK 781

19.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 390.4K

$113 SEK 1,040

-4.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 COP 1.7M

$811 SEK 7,450

-41.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$643 SEK 5,905

-42.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$848 COP 3.1M

$1,341 SEK 12.3K

-36.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$1,139 SEK 10.5K

-37.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,871 COP 10.4M

$3,309 SEK 30.4K

-13.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,375 COP 5.0M

$2,470 SEK 22.7K

-44.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$542 COP 2.0M

$3,116 SEK 28.6K

-82.62%

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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Helsingborg: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Medellin versus $811 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 475% 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 in Medellin versus $74 in Helsingborg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $343 – 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: $1,014 in Medellin, $1,770 in Helsingborg – roughly 74% apart. Helsingborg costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,522 per month in Medellin and $2,654 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 59% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $304 per month in Medellin and $146 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 $1,014, than in Helsingborg at $1,770. 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 $1,014 in Medellin to $1,770 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.