Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Lund

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,589 a month against $1,777 in Lund, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. The total is higher in Lund despite lower rent and utilities.

77

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index
85

Cost of Living Index in Lund
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Lund Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,589

/mo nomad

Lund

🇸🇪 Sweden

$1,777

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Lund

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Lund actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,589 in Medellin versus $1,777 in Lund.

Medellin $1,589
Lund $1,777

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,364 in Medellin versus $2,922 in Lund.

Medellin $2,364
Lund $2,922

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,139 in Medellin versus $4,067 in Lund.

Medellin $3,139
Lund $4,067

Living in Medellin costs roughly 11% less than in Lund, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 19% above, Lund 33% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.01 COP 25.5K

$12.72 SEK 127

-37.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.55 COP 148.3K

$91.0 SEK 909

-48.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 COP 30.1K

$11.72 SEK 117

-19.54%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,277

$4.60 SEK 46.01

-36.74%

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

$1.75 COP 5,585

$2.79 SEK 27.88

-37.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 COP 4,218

$2.07 SEK 20.65

-36.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 COP 9,969

$8.18 SEK 81.7

-61.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 COP 17.7K

$6.79 SEK 67.9

-18.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 COP 4,495

$1.63 SEK 16.28

-13.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 COP 7,777

$2.55 SEK 25.47

-4.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 COP 5,191

$3.38 SEK 33.74

-51.78%

Eggs

$2.82 COP 8,990

$4.57 SEK 45.63

-38.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 COP 30.9K

$12.53 SEK 125

-22.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.32 COP 29.7K

$11.84 SEK 118

-21.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.46 COP 42.9K

$15.33 SEK 153

-12.20%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 COP 12.8K

$3.06 SEK 30.63

30.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 COP 4,719

$2.58 SEK 25.82

-42.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 COP 6,768

$2.83 SEK 28.26

-25.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,178

$4.68 SEK 46.78

-51.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 COP 6,092

$1.70 SEK 16.98

12.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 COP 5,160

$1.43 SEK 14.25

13.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,658

$2.55 SEK 25.50

-54.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 COP 4,021

$1.52 SEK 15.20

-17.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.82 COP 12.2K

$8.10 SEK 81.0

-52.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 COP 41.8K

$11.15 SEK 111

17.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 5,083

$1.85 SEK 18.50

-13.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,188

$2.73 SEK 27.27

-17.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,731

$3.28 SEK 32.79

-64.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.0 COP 239.0K

$63.3 SEK 632

18.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,056

$5.08 SEK 50.7

-75.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,531

$1.10 SEK 11.02

86.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 COP 26.1K

$41.40 SEK 414

-80.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 COP 4,046

$1.80 SEK 17.97

-29.44%

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

$26.8K COP 85.3M

$33.1K SEK 331.0K

-19.16%

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

$34.4K COP 109.6M

$32.8K SEK 328.1K

4.80%

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

$162 COP 516.9K

$76.4 SEK 764

112.29%

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

$13.12 COP 41.8K

$28.05 SEK 280

-53.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.09 COP 89.5K

$41.33 SEK 413

-32.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.33 COP 141.2K

$38.07 SEK 381

16.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 COP 52.0K

$27.39 SEK 274

-40.38%

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 COP 19.4K

$15.11 SEK 151

-59.70%

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

$764 COP 2.4M

$157 SEK 1,571

386.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,904 COP 28.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.0 COP 270.8K

$78.5 SEK 785

8.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 COP 183.2K

$56.6 SEK 566

1.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 COP 419.8K

$97.7 SEK 976

34.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 COP 305.1K

$121 SEK 1,213

-21.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 COP 3.3M

$826 SEK 8,255

24.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 COP 1.9M

$672 SEK 6,716

-10.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,802 COP 5.7M

$1,697 SEK 17.0K

6.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$993 COP 3.2M

$1,365 SEK 13.6K

-27.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,921 COP 12.5M

$6,116 SEK 61.1K

-35.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,639 COP 5.2M

$3,597 SEK 35.9K

-54.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 COP 2.0M

$2,871 SEK 28.7K

-78.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

3.03

261.06%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Last update for Lund: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$604 38.3%

Lund

$672 38.3% 11.2% $68

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$288 18.3%

Lund

$355 20.3% 23.2% $67

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$203 12.9%

Lund

$146 8.3% 28.3% $58

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$166 10.6%

Lund

$159 9.1% 4.3% $7.1

Eating Out

Medellin

$166 10.6%

Lund

$266 15.2% 60% $100

Getting Around

Medellin

$91 5.8%

Lund

$87 5% 4.6% $4.2

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$57 3.6%

Lund

$68 3.9% 20.9% $12

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,028 in Medellin and $826 in Lund. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lund pays 359% 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: $47.00 in Medellin vs $91.0 in Lund for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $355 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇸🇪 Lund

🕒 Local time

04:41 4:41 AM

11:41 11:41 AM

7 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

82,800

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Swedish Krona SEK kr

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.14 USD

10,000 COP = 2.8 EUR

100 SEK = 10.01 USD

100 SEK = 8.93 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SEK, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3,187 COP (10,000 COP = 3.14 USD). 1 EUR = 3,571 COP (10,000 COP = 2.8 EUR).

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 9.99 SEK (1 SEK = 0.1 USD). 1 EUR = 11.2 SEK (100 SEK = 8.93 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Medellin Lund 9,360 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Lund

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 12% 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 359% 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: $1,028 in Medellin versus $826 in Lund. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,589 per month in Medellin versus $1,777 in Lund – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 19% less than in Lund. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,589 in Medellin versus $1,777 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 $1,589 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 12% less than in Lund. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.