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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,904 in Lund.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $3,030 in Lund.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $4,156 in Lund.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 46% less than in Lund, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% below, Lund is 43% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$12.55 SEK 121

-50.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$85.3 SEK 826

-61.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$12.20 SEK 118

-39.84%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$4.85 SEK 46.99

-64.54%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$2.81 SEK 27.17

-62.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$2.05 SEK 19.83

-62.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$8.22 SEK 79.6

-79.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$7.32 SEK 70.9

-56.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.60 SEK 15.45

-34.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$2.21 SEK 21.37

-41.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$3.02 SEK 29.20

-53.64%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$4.55 SEK 44.09

-52.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$13.12 SEK 127

-66.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$11.78 SEK 114

-50.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$17.28 SEK 167

-50.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$3.18 SEK 30.75

-28.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.77 SEK 26.86

-59.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.77 SEK 26.80

-44.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$4.55 SEK 44.01

-70.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.66 SEK 16.03

-31.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.58 SEK 15.27

-28.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$2.60 SEK 25.18

-67.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.27 SEK 12.31

-28.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$8.18 SEK 79.2

-71.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$11.23 SEK 109

10.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.96 SEK 19.01

-38.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.24 SEK 21.67

11.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$3.34 SEK 32.38

-74.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$67.4 SEK 653

-39.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$5.40 SEK 52.3

-73.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.88 SEK 18.24

2.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$63.0 SEK 610

-87.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.90 SEK 18.43

-47.89%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$32.7K SEK 316.5K

-44.85%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$34.1K SEK 330.5K

-21.99%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$122 SEK 1,181

-33.74%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$28.99 SEK 281

-65.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$41.22 SEK 399

-41.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$38.68 SEK 374

-35.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$24.09 SEK 233

-20.51%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$18.17 SEK 176

-78.10%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$179 SEK 1,733

70.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$4,129 SEK 40.0K

46.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$80.3 SEK 778

-27.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$60.1 SEK 582

-46.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$104 SEK 1,004

-2.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$130 SEK 1,261

-17.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$981 SEK 9,498

-51.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$763 SEK 7,383

-50.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,615 SEK 15.6K

-47.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$1,307 SEK 12.7K

-44.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$6,408 SEK 62.0K

-49.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$3,682 SEK 35.6K

-62.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$2,972 SEK 28.8K

-79.25%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Lund: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $981 in Lund. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lund pays 382% 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 $85.0 in Lund for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 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 85% 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, salaries run 382% lower in Lund. 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: $477 in Medellin versus $981 in Lund. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $1,904 in Lund – a 85% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 66% less than in Lund. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,904 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 $1,031 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 85% less than in Lund. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.