Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kalmar Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kalmar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,926 in Kalmar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $2,839 in Kalmar, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $3,751 in Kalmar, rent included.

Medellin is about 46% cheaper than Kalmar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Kalmar is 44% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$15.76 SEK 153

-60.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$74.7 SEK 723

-56.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$10.34 SEK 100

-29.01%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$4.68 SEK 45.26

-63.25%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$2.81 SEK 27.23

-62.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$2.73 SEK 26.46

-71.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$9.90 SEK 95.9

-82.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$7.59 SEK 73.5

-58.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.50 SEK 14.57

-30.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$2.48 SEK 23.99

-47.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$2.71 SEK 26.27

-48.34%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$4.88 SEK 47.26

-55.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$10.18 SEK 98.6

-56.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$11.54 SEK 112

-49.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$16.07 SEK 156

-46.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.67 SEK 25.84

-14.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.73 SEK 26.48

-59.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$3.17 SEK 30.68

-51.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$3.78 SEK 36.60

-64.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.49 SEK 14.38

-24.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.33 SEK 22.52

-51.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$2.07 SEK 20.04

-58.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.68 SEK 16.24

-45.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$7.12 SEK 68.9

-67.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$9.11 SEK 88.2

35.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.00 SEK 19.40

-40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.72 SEK 16.61

44.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$2.98 SEK 28.86

-71.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$87.1 SEK 843

-53.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$7.08 SEK 68.6

-79.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.59 SEK 15.43

20.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$52.6 SEK 509

-85.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.91 SEK 18.45

-48.17%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$27.6K SEK 266.9K

-34.60%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$28.1K SEK 272.0K

-5.21%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$117 SEK 1,131

-30.81%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$28.56 SEK 277

-65.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$30.64 SEK 297

-21.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$29.77 SEK 288

-15.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$15.73 SEK 152

21.74%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$14.39 SEK 139

-72.34%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$146 SEK 1,412

109.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$4,077 SEK 39.5K

48.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$64.2 SEK 622

-9.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$21.00 SEK 203

53.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$60.4 SEK 585

66.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$75.9 SEK 735

41.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$947 SEK 9,168

-49.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$812 SEK 7,857

-53.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,363 SEK 13.2K

-38.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$1,203 SEK 11.6K

-39.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$4,262 SEK 41.3K

-24.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$2,835 SEK 27.5K

-51.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$2,928 SEK 28.3K

-78.93%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kalmar: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $947 in Kalmar. 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 375% higher in Kalmar, 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 Kalmar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $337 – 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 Kalmar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,031 in Medellin, $1,926 in Kalmar – roughly 87% apart. Kalmar costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $2,889 in Kalmar. 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.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Medellin and $146 in Kalmar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 75% more in Kalmar, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Kalmar at $1,926. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kalmar 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 $1,031 in Medellin to $1,926 in Kalmar. 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, Kalmar makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.