Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ostersund Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ostersund

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,859 in Ostersund, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $2,859 in Ostersund, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $3,860 in Ostersund, rent included.

Medellin is about 45% cheaper than Ostersund, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Ostersund is 39% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$13.60 SEK 132

-54.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$73.0 SEK 706

-55.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$10.34 SEK 100

-29.01%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$4.74 SEK 45.88

-63.71%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$2.81 SEK 27.21

-62.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$2.50 SEK 24.21

-69.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$7.88 SEK 76.3

-78.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$7.80 SEK 75.5

-59.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.49 SEK 14.45

-29.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$3.01 SEK 29.16

-56.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$4.99 SEK 48.31

-71.94%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$3.43 SEK 33.24

-37.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$14.39 SEK 139

-69.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$11.77 SEK 114

-50.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$15.76 SEK 153

-45.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$4.57 SEK 44.20

-50.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.97 SEK 28.76

-62.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$3.67 SEK 35.54

-58.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$4.12 SEK 39.91

-67.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$3.77 SEK 36.46

-70.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.82 SEK 17.64

-37.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$2.53 SEK 24.52

-66.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.58 SEK 15.25

-42.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$8.13 SEK 78.7

-71.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$10.10 SEK 97.7

22.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.96 SEK 18.99

-38.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.89 SEK 18.31

31.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$3.29 SEK 31.81

-74.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$74.3 SEK 719

-45.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$6.22 SEK 60.2

-77.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.59 SEK 15.44

20.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$63.0 SEK 610

-87.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$2.01 SEK 19.42

-50.75%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$32.3K SEK 312.5K

-44.13%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$33.7K SEK 326.0K

-20.91%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$115 SEK 1,115

-29.86%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$28.32 SEK 274

-64.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$36.23 SEK 351

-33.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$40.03 SEK 388

-37.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$25.78 SEK 250

-25.72%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$15.71 SEK 152

-74.67%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$129 SEK 1,250

136.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$4,166 SEK 40.3K

45.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$94.0 SEK 910

-38.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$40.25 SEK 390

-20.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$98.3 SEK 952

2.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$150 SEK 1,455

-28.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$840 SEK 8,129

-43.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$645 SEK 6,243

-41.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,387 SEK 13.4K

-39.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$1,064 SEK 10.3K

-31.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$3,780 SEK 36.6K

-14.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$2,856 SEK 27.7K

-51.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.53

196.47%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ostersund: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $840 in Ostersund. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $73.0 in Ostersund. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $382 – 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 Ostersund: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ostersund is pricier by about 80%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $2,788 in Ostersund. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $73.0 in Ostersund. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,031 in Medellin and $1,859 in Ostersund. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Ostersund at $1,859. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ostersund it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ostersund makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.