Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Lund Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Lund

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,949 in Lund.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $3,033 in Lund.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $4,117 in Lund.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 48% less than in Lund, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 24% below, Lund is 45% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$12.42 SEK 117

-51.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$85.7 SEK 805

-61.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$11.98 SEK 113

-40.82%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$5.01 SEK 47.09

-65.87%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$2.83 SEK 26.57

-61.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$2.07 SEK 19.46

-62.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$8.27 SEK 77.7

-79.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$7.53 SEK 70.7

-59.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.62 SEK 15.21

-32.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$2.23 SEK 20.94

-43.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$2.92 SEK 27.42

-52.74%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$4.42 SEK 41.48

-50.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$12.89 SEK 121

-65.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$11.41 SEK 107

-50.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$17.35 SEK 163

-48.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$3.20 SEK 30.09

-26.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$2.89 SEK 27.17

-63.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$2.90 SEK 27.23

-48.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$4.42 SEK 41.50

-68.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.67 SEK 15.72

-31.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.63 SEK 15.33

-28.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$2.63 SEK 24.68

-66.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$1.29 SEK 12.09

-34.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$8.10 SEK 76.1

-71.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$11.86 SEK 111

-10.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$2.04 SEK 19.11

-41.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.15 SEK 20.17

14.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$3.42 SEK 32.13

-74.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$67.2 SEK 631

-38.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$5.40 SEK 50.8

-72.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$1.90 SEK 17.86

3.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$62.6 SEK 588

-87.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.98 SEK 18.57

-52.02%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$32.8K SEK 308.3K

-44.77%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$34.3K SEK 322.0K

-22.75%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$123 SEK 1,155

-33.13%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$28.49 SEK 268

-66.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$41.60 SEK 391

-41.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$39.20 SEK 368

-33.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$24.29 SEK 228

-21.78%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$17.86 SEK 168

-78.00%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$176 SEK 1,649

76.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$4,218 SEK 39.6K

41.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$79.1 SEK 743

-25.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$60.3 SEK 567

-46.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$104 SEK 977

-1.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$127 SEK 1,194

-14.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$970 SEK 9,114

-50.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$757 SEK 7,107

-49.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,644 SEK 15.4K

-49.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$1,314 SEK 12.3K

-44.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$6,660 SEK 62.6K

-58.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$3,858 SEK 36.2K

-68.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$3,140 SEK 29.5K

-83.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.8

179.79%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lund: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $970 in Lund. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lund pays 513% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $86.0 in Lund for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $355 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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 Lund: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 92% lower than in Lund. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Lund earns 513% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Medellin versus $970 in Lund. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $1,949 in Lund – a 92% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 62% less than in Lund. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,949 in Lund, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Lund. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,013 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Lund are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 92% less than in Lund. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.