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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $2,023 in Kalmar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $2,964 in Kalmar, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $3,906 in Kalmar, rent included.

Medellin is about 19% cheaper than Kalmar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Kalmar sit above the global median – Medellin by 19%, Kalmar by 47%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$15.61 SEK 151

-48.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.7K

$72.3 SEK 701

-33.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$11.02 SEK 107

-14.52%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,045

$4.63 SEK 44.92

-36.50%

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

$1.86 COP 5,738

$2.85 SEK 27.69

-34.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,481

$2.67 SEK 25.90

-45.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,887

$9.86 SEK 95.6

-67.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$7.18 SEK 69.6

-20.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,431

$1.47 SEK 14.25

-2.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,393

$2.90 SEK 28.11

-17.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,230

$3.21 SEK 31.12

-47.04%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,901

$4.78 SEK 46.41

-39.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 31.0K

$11.57 SEK 112

-13.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$11.38 SEK 110

-12.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$22.74 SEK 221

-37.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$2.53 SEK 24.58

57.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,880

$2.90 SEK 28.17

-45.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,627

$3.25 SEK 31.57

-33.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,082

$4.10 SEK 39.76

-43.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,172

$1.47 SEK 14.25

36.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,648

$1.63 SEK 15.81

-7.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,703

$1.99 SEK 19.27

-39.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,948

$1.74 SEK 16.87

-26.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$8.06 SEK 78.2

-52.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$9.21 SEK 89.4

52.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,259

$1.99 SEK 19.34

-14.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,444

$2.58 SEK 25.06

6.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,836

$3.52 SEK 34.16

-64.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.9K

$80.9 SEK 785

-3.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,018

$10.29 SEK 99.8

-87.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,684

$1.75 SEK 16.96

24.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$49.43 SEK 480

-83.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,174

$1.84 SEK 17.85

-26.09%

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

$27.5K COP 84.6M

$31.4K SEK 305.1K

-12.64%

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

$36.5K COP 112.5M

$29.7K SEK 288.1K

23.07%

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

$169 COP 519.5K

$152 SEK 1,472

11.23%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$27.85 SEK 270

-51.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$33.20 SEK 322

-14.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.8K

$31.12 SEK 302

46.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$25.71 SEK 249

-33.02%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$15.24 SEK 148

-56.36%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$145 SEK 1,411

452.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$4,972 SEK 48.2K

84.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 269.0K

$52.8 SEK 512

65.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.8K

$45.03 SEK 437

31.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.7K

$83.7 SEK 812

66.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.2K

$103 SEK 998

-0.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$921 SEK 8,937

16.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$801 SEK 7,769

-18.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$1,369 SEK 13.3K

40.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$1,158 SEK 11.2K

-9.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$4,269 SEK 41.4K

-3.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$2,902 SEK 28.2K

-41.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$2,984 SEK 29.0K

-78.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

3.93

178.37%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Kalmar: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $921 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 356% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $72.0 in Kalmar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $369 – 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: $1,641 in Medellin, $2,023 in Kalmar – roughly 23% apart. Kalmar costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $3,035 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 $803 per month in Medellin and $145 in Kalmar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% 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 $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,641, than in Kalmar at $2,023. 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 $1,641 in Medellin to $2,023 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.