Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Marsta Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Marsta

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,669 in Marsta, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $2,655 in Marsta, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $3,640 in Marsta, rent included.

Medellin costs about 1% more than Marsta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Marsta sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Marsta by 22%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$13.49 SEK 133

-40.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$68.5 SEK 675

-30.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$10.34 SEK 102

-4.35%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$4.59 SEK 45.26

-31.81%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$2.07 SEK 20.37

-7.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$1.93 SEK 18.99

-21.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$7.25 SEK 71.4

-56.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$7.40 SEK 72.9

-22.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.82 SEK 17.90

-20.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$3.22 SEK 31.78

-22.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$5.47 SEK 53.9

-67.64%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$3.83 SEK 37.70

-22.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$14.13 SEK 139

-28.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$9.14 SEK 90.0

10.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$17.61 SEK 173

-18.80%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$3.15 SEK 31.06

31.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$2.66 SEK 26.23

-39.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.04 SEK 20.14

10.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$3.94 SEK 38.85

-42.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.49 SEK 14.72

36.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.58 SEK 15.56

-2.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$2.04 SEK 20.15

-42.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$1.92 SEK 18.89

-31.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$7.15 SEK 70.5

-45.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$10.51 SEK 104

33.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$2.01 SEK 19.79

-13.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.24 SEK 22.10

28.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$3.39 SEK 33.41

-64.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$79.2 SEK 780

1.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$13.57 SEK 134

-90.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$2.03 SEK 20.02

7.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$59.4 SEK 586

-85.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.75 SEK 17.28

-21.71%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$34.7K SEK 341.5K

-19.68%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$34.0K SEK 334.9K

5.25%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$62.5 SEK 616

183.54%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$26.88 SEK 265

-48.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$40.99 SEK 404

-27.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$38.54 SEK 380

16.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$25.52 SEK 251

-32.92%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$16.34 SEK 161

-59.30%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$224 SEK 2,212

262.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$5,274 SEK 52.0K

74.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$51.9 SEK 511

72.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$30.99 SEK 305

90.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$92.3 SEK 910

49.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$106 SEK 1,046

-3.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$842 SEK 8,300

26.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$606 SEK 5,974

9.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$1,379 SEK 13.6K

36.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$1,074 SEK 10.6K

-4.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$4,179 SEK 41.2K

0.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$2,874 SEK 28.3K

-41.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$4,836 SEK 47.7K

-85.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

3.2

241.87%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Marsta: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $842 in Marsta. 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 614% higher in Marsta, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $69.0 in Marsta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $362 – 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 Marsta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 1%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $2,504 in Marsta. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Marsta, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $69.0 in Marsta. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $1,669 in Marsta. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Marsta, where all-in costs run around $1,669, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Marsta it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Marsta – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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