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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $1,841 in Kista, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $2,845 in Kista, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $3,849 in Kista, rent included.

Medellin is about 44% cheaper than Kista, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Kista is 38% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$13.40 SEK 125

-55.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$73.7 SEK 689

-55.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$10.67 SEK 99.8

-30.46%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$4.52 SEK 42.30

-63.50%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$2.75 SEK 25.71

-61.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$2.50 SEK 23.38

-69.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$7.84 SEK 73.3

-78.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$7.42 SEK 69.5

-56.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$1.67 SEK 15.64

-37.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$2.87 SEK 26.82

-54.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$3.81 SEK 35.65

-64.83%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$4.16 SEK 38.95

-47.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$12.07 SEK 113

-63.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$11.74 SEK 110

-51.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$16.88 SEK 158

-49.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$3.10 SEK 29.01

-24.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$2.58 SEK 24.09

-56.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$3.02 SEK 28.23

-49.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$4.38 SEK 40.97

-68.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$1.56 SEK 14.58

-26.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$1.79 SEK 16.77

-34.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$2.64 SEK 24.68

-68.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$1.51 SEK 14.12

-43.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$7.44 SEK 69.6

-69.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$9.21 SEK 86.2

25.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$1.96 SEK 18.36

-38.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$1.90 SEK 17.81

30.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$3.30 SEK 30.88

-76.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$75.2 SEK 703

-45.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$6.29 SEK 58.9

-76.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$1.60 SEK 14.99

20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$62.5 SEK 584

-87.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$1.90 SEK 17.76

-46.84%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$32.8K SEK 306.9K

-46.17%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$34.4K SEK 321.5K

-23.02%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$112 SEK 1,048

-27.59%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$28.99 SEK 271

-67.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$36.29 SEK 339

-34.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$40.93 SEK 383

-36.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$25.26 SEK 236

-25.93%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$15.90 SEK 149

-74.28%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$144 SEK 1,348

118.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$4,120 SEK 38.5K

46.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$94.9 SEK 888

-37.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$40.22 SEK 376

-20.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$96.6 SEK 903

4.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$152 SEK 1,422

-30.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$848 SEK 7,928

-42.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$641 SEK 5,996

-43.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$1,417 SEK 13.3K

-41.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$1,078 SEK 10.1K

-32.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$3,939 SEK 36.9K

-24.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$2,986 SEK 27.9K

-55.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.53

196.47%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Kista: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $848 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $74.0 in Kista. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $357 – 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 79% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,542 per month in Medellin and $2,761 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 $1,028 in Medellin and $1,841 in Kista. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 84% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,028, than in Kista at $1,841. 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 $1,028 versus $1,841 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.