Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kiruna Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kiruna

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,030 per month in Medellin vs $1,965 in Kiruna, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $3,097 in Kiruna, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $4,229 in Kiruna, rent included.

Medellin is about 48% cheaper than Kiruna, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Kiruna is 47% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.2K

$12.70 SEK 117

-53.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 COP 118.7K

$95.3 SEK 877

-65.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 COP 25.9K

$11.95 SEK 110

-39.33%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,137

$4.72 SEK 43.42

-63.77%

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

$1.09 COP 3,915

$2.07 SEK 19.06

-47.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,743

$1.03 SEK 9.44

-25.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 COP 6,254

$8.34 SEK 76.8

-79.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 11.4K

$6.79 SEK 62.4

-53.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,792

$1.87 SEK 17.24

-43.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,657

$3.50 SEK 32.18

-62.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,926

$5.13 SEK 47.17

-73.10%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,908

$4.83 SEK 44.43

-54.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 COP 16.2K

$12.75 SEK 117

-64.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.7K

$14.04 SEK 129

-58.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 32.1K

$27.56 SEK 254

-67.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 COP 8,182

$2.59 SEK 23.79

-11.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,791

$2.81 SEK 25.89

-62.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 5,411

$2.54 SEK 23.35

-40.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,869

$4.39 SEK 40.40

-69.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,146

$2.15 SEK 19.74

-46.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,174

$1.67 SEK 15.35

-29.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,960

$3.42 SEK 31.51

-75.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 3,043

$1.45 SEK 13.32

-41.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,423

$7.38 SEK 67.9

-68.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 COP 39.7K

$10.96 SEK 101

1.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,133

$1.81 SEK 16.66

-36.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,853

$1.80 SEK 16.60

37.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,827

$3.32 SEK 30.52

-76.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

$72.6 SEK 668

-42.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,140

$9.41 SEK 86.6

-84.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,793

$1.59 SEK 14.64

19.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 COP 27.6K

$72.9 SEK 671

-89.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,680

$1.95 SEK 17.96

-47.18%

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

$17.7K COP 63.3M

$32.6K SEK 299.5K

-45.69%

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

$27.0K COP 96.7M

$35.5K SEK 326.3K

-23.82%

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

$81.4 COP 291.4K

$173 SEK 1,593

-52.99%

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

$9.42 COP 33.7K

$32.32 SEK 297

-70.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.77 COP 85.1K

$28.23 SEK 260

-15.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 92.6K

$47.19 SEK 434

-45.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

$25.12 SEK 231

-23.01%

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 14.5K

$13.75 SEK 127

-70.55%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$163 SEK 1,503

91.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,067 COP 21.7M

$4,172 SEK 38.4K

45.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 210.7K

$128 SEK 1,174

-53.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 117.5K

$33.89 SEK 312

-3.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 359.6K

$128 SEK 1,182

-21.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 380.3K

$172 SEK 1,582

-38.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.8M

$823 SEK 7,570

-40.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$638 SEK 5,874

-41.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,441 SEK 13.3K

-41.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

$1,175 SEK 10.8K

-39.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

$4,150 SEK 38.2K

-28.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

$3,052 SEK 28.1K

-54.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

$3,601 SEK 33.1K

-85.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

235.75%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Last update for Kiruna: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Medellin versus $823 in Kiruna. 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 577% higher in Kiruna, 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 in Medellin versus $95 in Kiruna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $422 – 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 Kiruna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,030 in Medellin, $1,965 in Kiruna – roughly 91% apart. Kiruna costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,544 per month in Medellin and $2,947 in Kiruna. 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.

Groceries cost about 122% more in Kiruna, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $95.0 in Kiruna. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,030, than in Kiruna at $1,965. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kiruna 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 $1,030 in Medellin to $1,965 in Kiruna. 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, Kiruna makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.