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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $1,819 in Kiruna, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $3,037 in Kiruna, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $4,255 in Kiruna, rent included.

Medellin is about 10% cheaper than Kiruna, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Kiruna sit above the global median – Medellin by 19%, Kiruna by 32%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$14.14 SEK 137

-43.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$131 SEK 1,272

-63.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$9.89 SEK 95.8

-4.75%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$4.75 SEK 46.03

-38.11%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$2.69 SEK 26.06

-30.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$2.21 SEK 21.44

-33.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$10.15 SEK 98.4

-68.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$6.74 SEK 65.4

-15.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.86 SEK 17.99

-22.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$2.92 SEK 28.31

-17.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$4.21 SEK 40.77

-59.62%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$4.15 SEK 40.27

-30.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$13.59 SEK 132

-25.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$12.27 SEK 119

-18.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$16.35 SEK 158

-13.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$3.51 SEK 34.03

13.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$2.67 SEK 25.88

-40.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$3.53 SEK 34.18

-39.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$4.31 SEK 41.78

-46.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$1.51 SEK 14.61

32.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$1.53 SEK 14.85

-1.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$2.06 SEK 19.99

-41.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$1.47 SEK 14.22

-12.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$7.36 SEK 71.4

-47.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$11.74 SEK 114

19.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$2.11 SEK 20.50

-18.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$2.34 SEK 22.71

17.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$3.36 SEK 32.57

-62.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$83.3 SEK 808

-6.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$5.76 SEK 55.8

-77.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$1.52 SEK 14.73

42.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$66.8 SEK 647

-87.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$2.19 SEK 21.21

-37.90%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$36.4K SEK 352.5K

-24.44%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$34.6K SEK 335.7K

5.52%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$119 SEK 1,156

41.46%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$23.66 SEK 229

-42.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$40.25 SEK 390

-29.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$39.39 SEK 382

16.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$27.03 SEK 262

-36.29%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$16.49 SEK 160

-59.67%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$167 SEK 1,616

381.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$5,598 SEK 54.3K

64.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$88.3 SEK 856

-1.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$40.00 SEK 388

48.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$95.1 SEK 922

46.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$159 SEK 1,537

-35.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$842 SEK 8,165

27.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$625 SEK 6,062

4.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$1,406 SEK 13.6K

36.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$1,124 SEK 10.9K

-6.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$3,980 SEK 38.6K

3.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$2,692 SEK 26.1K

-36.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$3,394 SEK 32.9K

-80.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

173.50%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Kiruna: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $842 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 418% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $131 in Kiruna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $374 – 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: $1,641 in Medellin, $1,819 in Kiruna – roughly 11% apart. Kiruna 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 $2,728 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 24% 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $131 in Kiruna. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,641, than in Kiruna at $1,819. 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 $1,641 in Medellin to $1,819 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.