Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kalix

For one person, living costs are similar in Medellin and in Kalix: $1,692 and $1,674 a month, rent and utilities included.

Medellin, Colombia
Kalix, Sweden
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,692
/mo nomad
Kalix
🇸🇪 Sweden
$1,674
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Kalix

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Kalix actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,692 in Medellin versus $1,674 in Kalix.

  • Medellin $1,692
  • Kalix $1,674

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,471 in Medellin versus $2,718 in Kalix.

  • Medellin $2,471
  • Kalix $2,718

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,249 in Medellin versus $3,761 in Kalix.

  • Medellin $3,249
  • Kalix $3,761

Monthly costs are close between Medellin and Kalix; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 25% above, Kalix 24% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Kalix
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.34 COP 26.9K
$13.52 SEK 133
-38.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.53 COP 150.3K
$87.6 SEK 859
-46.88%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.47 COP 30.6K
$10.26 SEK 101
-7.70%
Cappuccino
$3.13 COP 10.1K
$3.96 SEK 38.87
-20.96%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 COP 5,705
$2.36 SEK 23.20
-25.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42 COP 4,601
$2.27 SEK 22.31
-37.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 COP 10.2K
$6.86 SEK 67.3
-54.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.70 COP 18.4K
$7.63 SEK 74.8
-25.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Kalix
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.53 COP 4,950
$1.78 SEK 17.42
-14.04%
White Bread (500g)
$2.29 COP 7,401
$2.66 SEK 26.10
-13.91%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 COP 6,282
$3.31 SEK 32.48
-41.39%
Eggs
$3.07 COP 9,905
$4.56 SEK 44.73
-32.68%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.99 COP 32.3K
$12.59 SEK 124
-20.65%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.45 COP 33.7K
$11.50 SEK 113
-9.13%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.96 COP 45.1K
$19.73 SEK 194
-29.24%
Apples (1kg)
$4.05 COP 13.1K
$3.24 SEK 31.82
25.00%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,937
$2.33 SEK 22.88
-34.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.10 COP 6,797
$2.92 SEK 28.67
-28.08%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.29 COP 7,409
$4.18 SEK 40.99
-45.22%
Potato (1kg)
$2.11 COP 6,813
$1.58 SEK 15.54
33.54%
Onion (1kg)
$1.71 COP 5,521
$1.48 SEK 14.54
15.54%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 COP 3,780
$2.16 SEK 21.23
-45.83%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 COP 5,104
$1.39 SEK 13.61
13.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.91 COP 12.6K
$8.01 SEK 78.6
-51.19%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.04 COP 45.4K
$10.43 SEK 102
34.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 COP 5,690
$2.12 SEK 20.83
-16.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 COP 8,760
$2.53 SEK 24.85
7.11%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Kalix
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.18 COP 3,811
$3.55 SEK 34.86
-66.76%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.3 COP 246.4K
$77.5 SEK 760
-1.56%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 COP 5,836
$5.33 SEK 52.3
-66.04%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.13 COP 6,878
$1.66 SEK 16.29
28.31%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.13 COP 26.3K
$60.4 SEK 592
-86.53%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 COP 4,119
$1.88 SEK 18.41
-31.91%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.4K COP 111.2M
$30.4K SEK 297.8K
13.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.1K COP 110.3M
$29.8K SEK 292.7K
14.40%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Kalix
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$178 COP 574.1K
$102 SEK 999
74.48%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.89 COP 44.9K
$20.82 SEK 204
-33.29%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.74 COP 99.3K
$40.61 SEK 398
-24.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Kalix
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.94 COP 135.5K
$38.64 SEK 379
8.54%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.80 COP 54.3K
$30.28 SEK 297
-44.52%
Cinema Ticket
$7.47 COP 24.1K
$17.77 SEK 174
-57.96%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Kalix
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.6M
$163 SEK 1,603
383.67%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.3K COP 39.7M
$5,146 SEK 50.5K
138.97%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Kalix
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.3 COP 278.9K
$93.2 SEK 914
-7.33%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.3 COP 191.4K
$40.94 SEK 402
44.75%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$138 COP 446.9K
$88.3 SEK 866
56.65%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.8 COP 319.2K
$136 SEK 1,330
-27.12%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Kalix
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,341 COP 4.3M
$760 SEK 7,459
76.38%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$667 COP 2.2M
$553 SEK 5,428
20.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,976 COP 6.4M
$1,181 SEK 11.6K
67.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,033 COP 3.3M
$1,037 SEK 10.2K
-0.38%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,098 COP 13.2M
$3,716 SEK 36.5K
10.26%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,940 COP 6.3M
$2,489 SEK 24.4K
-22.06%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Kalix
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$646 COP 2.1M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
3.38
223.67%

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

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Last update for Kalix: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$667
Kalix
$553 17.1% $114
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$307
Kalix
$363 18% $55
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$222
Kalix
$163 26.6% $59
Eating Out
Medellin
$173
Kalix
$255 47.5% $82
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$172
Kalix
$161 6.5% $11
Getting Around
Medellin
$93
Kalix
$105 12.7% $12
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$57
Kalix
$74 30.4% $17

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,341 in Medellin and $760 in Kalix. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47 in Medellin vs $88 in Kalix for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $307 vs $363 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇸🇪 Kalix
🕒 Local time
21:10 9:10 PM
03:10 3:10 AM
6 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
15,734
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

SEK, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 3,230 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,626 COP (10,000 COP = 2.76 EUR).

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 9.81 SEK (1 SEK = 0.102 USD). 1 EUR = 11.01 SEK (100 SEK = 9.08 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Kalix 9,760 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Kalix

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Kalix: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Medellin and in Kalix?
You’d need roughly $2,538 in Medellin and $2,512 in Kalix to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Medellin compared to Kalix?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,341 in Medellin versus $760 in Kalix. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Medellin or in Kalix?
Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 15% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How do dining costs compare in Medellin and in Kalix?
Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $47 versus $88 in Kalix. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Medellin or in Kalix?
Either city works on $2,000 a month, though Kalix gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Medellin or Kalix?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

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