Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Malmo Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Malmo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $2,081 in Malmo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $3,224 in Malmo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $4,368 in Malmo, rent included.

Medellin is about 50% cheaper than Malmo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Malmo is 56% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$13.74 SEK 133

-55.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$83.5 SEK 807

-60.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$12.74 SEK 123

-42.39%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$5.15 SEK 49.73

-66.60%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$2.68 SEK 25.92

-60.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$2.10 SEK 20.29

-63.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$7.81 SEK 75.5

-78.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$8.01 SEK 77.4

-60.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.73 SEK 16.76

-39.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$3.08 SEK 29.73

-57.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$3.48 SEK 33.67

-59.77%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$4.53 SEK 43.80

-52.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$12.41 SEK 120

-64.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$13.01 SEK 126

-54.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$26.83 SEK 259

-67.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$3.40 SEK 32.84

-32.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$2.94 SEK 28.43

-62.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$3.29 SEK 31.83

-53.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$4.83 SEK 46.69

-72.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.87 SEK 18.10

-39.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.94 SEK 18.76

-41.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$2.55 SEK 24.68

-66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.34 SEK 13.00

-32.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$7.88 SEK 76.2

-70.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$11.67 SEK 113

6.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.40 SEK 23.25

-50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.73 SEK 26.39

-8.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$3.46 SEK 33.40

-75.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$71.0 SEK 686

-42.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$6.76 SEK 65.3

-78.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$2.64 SEK 25.49

-27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$57.1 SEK 552

-86.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.90 SEK 18.41

-47.89%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$33.0K SEK 318.6K

-45.30%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$33.9K SEK 328.1K

-21.56%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$155 SEK 1,496

-47.78%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$29.60 SEK 286

-66.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$39.55 SEK 382

-38.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$39.29 SEK 380

-36.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$23.47 SEK 227

-18.41%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$17.81 SEK 172

-77.65%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$157 SEK 1,520

94.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$4,884 SEK 47.2K

24.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$105 SEK 1,013

-44.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$45.70 SEK 442

-29.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$124 SEK 1,199

-18.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$166 SEK 1,607

-35.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$916 SEK 8,856

-47.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$791 SEK 7,642

-52.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,702 SEK 16.4K

-50.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$1,378 SEK 13.3K

-46.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$4,179 SEK 40.4K

-23.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$3,318 SEK 32.1K

-58.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$3,148 SEK 30.4K

-80.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.86

176.34%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Malmo: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $916 in Malmo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 410% higher in Malmo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $83.0 in Malmo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $412 – 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 Malmo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Malmo costs about 102% 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $3,121 in Malmo. 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.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Medellin and $157 in Malmo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 113% more in Malmo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Malmo at $2,081. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Malmo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,031 versus $2,081 in Malmo. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Malmo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.