Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Karlstad

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,639 a month against $1,727 in Karlstad, rent and utilities included – about $1,100 less a year. The total is higher in Karlstad despite lower rent and utilities.

79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index
83

Cost of Living Index in Karlstad
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Karlstad Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,639

/mo nomad

Karlstad

🇸🇪 Sweden

$1,727

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Karlstad

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 Karlstad actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $1,727 in Karlstad, rent included.

Medellin $1,639
Karlstad $1,727

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $2,665 in Karlstad, rent included.

Medellin $2,413
Karlstad $2,665

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $3,603 in Karlstad, rent included.

Medellin $3,186
Karlstad $3,603

Medellin is about 5% cheaper than Karlstad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Medellin and Karlstad sit above the global median – Medellin by 20%, Karlstad by 27%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 COP 26.1K

$15.14 SEK 149

-46.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.05 COP 151.9K

$80.5 SEK 791

-41.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 30.7K

$10.07 SEK 98.9

-5.66%

Cappuccino

$3.01 COP 9,735

$4.86 SEK 47.71

-38.07%

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

$1.80 COP 5,809

$2.45 SEK 24.02

-26.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 COP 4,561

$2.16 SEK 21.26

-34.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 COP 10.3K

$8.08 SEK 79.3

-60.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.6K

$6.60 SEK 64.8

-12.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 COP 4,876

$1.45 SEK 14.23

4.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 COP 7,678

$2.83 SEK 27.82

-15.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,720

$3.68 SEK 36.16

-51.90%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 9,333

$4.37 SEK 42.88

-33.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 COP 32.9K

$10.17 SEK 99.9

0.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.87 COP 31.9K

$13.96 SEK 137

-29.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 COP 45.2K

$17.73 SEK 174

-21.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.8K

$2.95 SEK 28.93

34.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 COP 5,012

$2.68 SEK 26.36

-42.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 COP 7,048

$3.03 SEK 29.73

-28.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 COP 7,051

$5.40 SEK 53.0

-59.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 COP 6,337

$1.92 SEK 18.81

2.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 COP 5,132

$1.72 SEK 16.85

-7.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,699

$2.64 SEK 25.89

-56.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 COP 4,014

$1.30 SEK 12.75

-4.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 COP 12.8K

$6.96 SEK 68.3

-43.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.68 COP 44.2K

$10.17 SEK 99.9

34.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 COP 5,359

$2.42 SEK 23.81

-31.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,291

$2.04 SEK 19.99

10.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,771

$3.13 SEK 30.72

-62.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.4 COP 249.8K

$80.4 SEK 789

-3.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,094

$5.46 SEK 53.6

-76.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,612

$1.29 SEK 12.68

58.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.55 COP 27.6K

$60.4 SEK 593

-85.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,349

$1.72 SEK 16.91

-21.51%

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

$34.1K COP 110.0M

$32.6K SEK 320.6K

4.35%

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

$34.7K COP 111.9M

$33.8K SEK 331.4K

2.72%

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

$170 COP 547.8K

$99.4 SEK 976

70.71%

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

$13.55 COP 43.8K

$15.73 SEK 154

-13.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.07 COP 90.6K

$43.76 SEK 430

-35.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.70 COP 141.1K

$45.27 SEK 445

-3.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.19 COP 55.5K

$16.66 SEK 164

3.18%

Cinema Ticket

$6.91 COP 22.3K

$14.08 SEK 138

-50.92%

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

$797 COP 2.6M

$126 SEK 1,237

532.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,112 COP 29.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.7 COP 273.5K

$106 SEK 1,038

-19.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.0 COP 187.2K

$39.85 SEK 391

45.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 COP 435.8K

$75.9 SEK 745

77.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 COP 316.0K

$141 SEK 1,385

-30.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,208 COP 3.9M

$868 SEK 8,524

39.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$642 COP 2.1M

$575 SEK 5,642

11.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 COP 6.5M

$1,184 SEK 11.6K

71.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 COP 3.3M

$867 SEK 8,510

16.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,170 COP 13.5M

$3,849 SEK 37.8K

8.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,910 COP 6.2M

$2,779 SEK 27.3K

-31.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$657 COP 2.1M

$3,203 SEK 31.4K

-79.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.09

167.48%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Karlstad: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$642 39.1%

Karlstad

$575 33.3% 10.4% $67

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$297 18.1%

Karlstad

$370 21.4% 24.7% $73

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$211 12.9%

Karlstad

$159 9.2% 24.8% $52

Eating Out

Medellin

$170 10.4%

Karlstad

$282 16.3% 66.1% $112

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$169 10.3%

Karlstad

$163 9.5% 3.5% $5.9

Getting Around

Medellin

$94 5.7%

Karlstad

$105 6.1% 12% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$58 3.5%

Karlstad

$73 4.3% 27.7% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $868 in Karlstad. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Karlstad are about 4.9 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $81 in Karlstad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $370 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇸🇪 Karlstad

🕒 Local time

19:01 7:01 PM

01:01 1:01 AM

6 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

62,797

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Swedish Krona SEK kr

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR

100 SEK = 10.18 USD

100 SEK = 9.12 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SEK, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,605 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 9.82 SEK (1 SEK = 0.102 USD). 1 EUR = 10.96 SEK (100 SEK = 9.12 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Medellin Karlstad 9,360 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Karlstad

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 Karlstad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Karlstad is pricier by about 5%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $2,590 in Karlstad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Karlstad, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $868 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $81 in Karlstad. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,639 in Medellin and $1,727 in Karlstad. That makes Medellin about 5% cheaper.

$2,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,639 in Medellin and $1,727 in Karlstad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,639 in Medellin to $1,727 in Karlstad. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Karlstad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.