Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kista Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kista

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $1,797 in Kista, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $2,834 in Kista, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $3,872 in Kista, rent included.

Medellin is about 6% cheaper than Kista, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Kista sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Kista by 31%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$14.32 SEK 136

-44.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$79.2 SEK 750

-43.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$10.67 SEK 101

-12.93%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$4.86 SEK 46.07

-40.33%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$2.72 SEK 25.78

-33.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$2.18 SEK 20.61

-28.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$7.58 SEK 71.9

-57.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$7.54 SEK 71.5

-22.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.77 SEK 16.80

-22.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$2.85 SEK 27.03

-14.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$3.94 SEK 37.38

-61.68%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$4.62 SEK 43.82

-39.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$12.63 SEK 120

-28.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$12.57 SEK 119

-15.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$18.74 SEK 178

-21.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$3.24 SEK 30.67

22.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$2.77 SEK 26.20

-50.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$3.16 SEK 29.96

-27.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$4.48 SEK 42.42

-54.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$1.68 SEK 15.90

24.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$1.66 SEK 15.76

-1.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$2.42 SEK 22.89

-55.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$1.53 SEK 14.46

-18.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$7.49 SEK 71.0

-46.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$10.45 SEK 99.0

28.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$2.08 SEK 19.69

-23.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$2.35 SEK 22.28

27.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$3.50 SEK 33.18

-66.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

$79.6 SEK 754

0.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$6.35 SEK 60.2

-74.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$1.73 SEK 16.41

23.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$62.1 SEK 588

-86.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.90 SEK 17.96

-28.95%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$35.3K SEK 334.2K

-19.69%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$33.9K SEK 321.1K

5.32%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$115 SEK 1,093

31.21%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$27.27 SEK 258

-51.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$41.28 SEK 391

-21.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$40.20 SEK 381

15.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

$27.21 SEK 258

-36.57%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$16.99 SEK 161

-62.15%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$163 SEK 1,543

412.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$5,262 SEK 49.9K

68.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$92.7 SEK 878

-3.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$43.50 SEK 412

27.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$98.9 SEK 937

38.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$144 SEK 1,368

-24.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$853 SEK 8,085

11.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$627 SEK 5,943

6.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$1,396 SEK 13.2K

44.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$1,078 SEK 10.2K

6.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$4,300 SEK 40.7K

-14.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$2,906 SEK 27.5K

-45.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

3.48

199.71%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Kista: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Medellin versus $853 in Kista. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Medellin versus $79.0 in Kista. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $378 – 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 Kista: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kista costs about 7% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,530 per month in Medellin and $2,695 in Kista. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,687 in Medellin and $1,797 in Kista. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 0% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,687, than in Kista at $1,797. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kista it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,687 versus $1,797 in Kista. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Kista makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.