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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,776 in Ostersund, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $2,833 in Ostersund, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $3,890 in Ostersund, rent included.

Medellin is about 5% cheaper than Ostersund, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Ostersund sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Ostersund by 30%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$14.02 SEK 138

-42.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$78.4 SEK 773

-38.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$10.49 SEK 103

-5.72%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$4.84 SEK 47.68

-35.33%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$2.81 SEK 27.68

-32.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$2.25 SEK 22.13

-32.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$7.36 SEK 72.6

-57.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$7.10 SEK 70.0

-19.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.54 SEK 15.18

-6.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$2.98 SEK 29.36

-16.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$4.93 SEK 48.60

-64.10%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$3.46 SEK 34.08

-14.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$14.28 SEK 141

-29.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$11.84 SEK 117

-14.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$15.74 SEK 155

-9.15%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$4.46 SEK 43.94

-7.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$2.96 SEK 29.13

-45.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$3.55 SEK 34.97

-36.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$4.28 SEK 42.21

-47.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.65 SEK 16.23

23.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.62 SEK 15.94

-4.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$2.39 SEK 23.53

-51.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$1.54 SEK 15.20

-14.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$8.08 SEK 79.6

-51.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$10.53 SEK 104

33.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.99 SEK 19.65

-12.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.23 SEK 21.99

28.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$3.40 SEK 33.55

-64.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$81.2 SEK 801

-0.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$6.26 SEK 61.7

-79.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$1.72 SEK 16.96

27.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$61.2 SEK 603

-85.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.88 SEK 18.55

-27.13%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$34.9K SEK 344.2K

-20.31%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$34.3K SEK 338.2K

4.22%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$107 SEK 1,054

65.72%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$27.13 SEK 267

-48.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$39.47 SEK 389

-24.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$39.68 SEK 391

13.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$26.20 SEK 258

-34.66%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$15.27 SEK 150

-56.45%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$131 SEK 1,291

520.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$5,237 SEK 51.6K

75.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$94.6 SEK 932

-5.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$43.68 SEK 430

35.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$97.9 SEK 965

41.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$144 SEK 1,424

-29.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$844 SEK 8,316

25.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$604 SEK 5,955

9.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$1,420 SEK 14.0K

32.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$1,061 SEK 10.5K

-3.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$4,145 SEK 40.8K

0.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$2,859 SEK 28.2K

-41.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

3.42

219.88%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Ostersund: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $844 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $78.0 in Ostersund. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $375 – 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 6%, 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 $2,664 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $78.0 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $1,776 in Ostersund. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Ostersund at $1,776. 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.