Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Karlskrona Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Karlskrona

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,639 in Karlskrona, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $2,583 in Karlskrona, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $3,528 in Karlskrona, rent included.

Medellin costs about 3% more than Karlskrona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Karlskrona sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Karlskrona by 20%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$13.36 SEK 132

-39.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$67.3 SEK 663

-28.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$9.46 SEK 93.2

4.55%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$4.09 SEK 40.27

-23.47%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.35 SEK 13.29

41.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$2.28 SEK 22.49

-33.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$7.32 SEK 72.2

-57.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$5.14 SEK 50.7

11.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.48 SEK 14.55

-2.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$2.71 SEK 26.75

-8.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$3.74 SEK 36.84

-52.67%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$4.61 SEK 45.44

-35.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$10.87 SEK 107

-7.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$13.28 SEK 131

-23.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$17.32 SEK 171

-17.44%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$3.15 SEK 30.99

31.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$2.37 SEK 23.33

-32.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.95 SEK 29.10

-23.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$4.55 SEK 44.87

-50.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.51 SEK 14.89

35.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.51 SEK 14.91

1.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$2.15 SEK 21.19

-45.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$1.47 SEK 14.51

-10.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$7.15 SEK 70.5

-45.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$12.79 SEK 126

9.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.97 SEK 19.43

-11.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$1.76 SEK 17.30

63.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$3.03 SEK 29.91

-59.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$73.5 SEK 725

9.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$13.58 SEK 134

-90.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$2.00 SEK 19.76

9.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$82.2 SEK 810

-89.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.71 SEK 16.84

-19.88%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$33.2K SEK 327.0K

-16.12%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$33.4K SEK 329.3K

7.06%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$52.6 SEK 518

237.01%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$28.34 SEK 279

-51.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$37.87 SEK 373

-21.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$42.28 SEK 417

6.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$24.72 SEK 244

-30.74%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$16.62 SEK 164

-59.99%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$164 SEK 1,618

395.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$98.9 SEK 975

-9.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$20.68 SEK 204

185.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$81.8 SEK 806

68.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$178 SEK 1,756

-42.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$686 SEK 6,762

54.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$597 SEK 5,879

11.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$1,140 SEK 11.2K

65.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$963 SEK 9,494

6.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$2,944 SEK 29.0K

42.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$2,555 SEK 25.2K

-34.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$2,546 SEK 25.1K

-73.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.22

159.24%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Karlskrona: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $686 in Karlskrona. 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 276% higher in Karlskrona, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $67.0 in Karlskrona. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $364 – 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 Karlskrona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 3%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $2,459 in Karlskrona. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Karlskrona, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $67.0 in Karlskrona. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $1,639 in Karlskrona. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Karlskrona, where all-in costs run around $1,639, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Karlskrona it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Karlskrona – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Karlskrona. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.