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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,802 in Ostersund, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $2,847 in Ostersund, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $3,892 in Ostersund, rent included.

Medellin is about 44% cheaper than Ostersund, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Ostersund is 34% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$13.38 SEK 126

-55.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$72.5 SEK 681

-54.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$10.76 SEK 101

-34.11%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$4.70 SEK 44.11

-63.62%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$2.82 SEK 26.46

-60.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$2.41 SEK 22.64

-67.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$7.59 SEK 71.3

-77.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$7.83 SEK 73.6

-60.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.56 SEK 14.68

-30.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$3.05 SEK 28.64

-58.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$4.90 SEK 46.05

-71.84%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$3.59 SEK 33.72

-39.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$14.51 SEK 136

-69.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$11.72 SEK 110

-51.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$16.19 SEK 152

-45.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$4.53 SEK 42.52

-48.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$3.09 SEK 28.99

-65.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$3.64 SEK 34.18

-58.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$4.14 SEK 38.89

-66.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$3.73 SEK 35.00

-69.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.78 SEK 16.72

-34.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$2.50 SEK 23.52

-64.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$1.51 SEK 14.18

-44.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$8.21 SEK 77.1

-72.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$10.85 SEK 102

-1.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.91 SEK 17.94

-37.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$1.95 SEK 18.30

26.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$3.44 SEK 32.29

-75.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$74.1 SEK 696

-44.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$6.43 SEK 60.4

-77.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$1.64 SEK 15.44

19.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$62.1 SEK 583

-87.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$2.09 SEK 19.64

-54.55%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$33.0K SEK 310.4K

-45.14%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$34.4K SEK 322.8K

-22.92%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$114 SEK 1,074

-28.06%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$28.69 SEK 269

-66.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$36.81 SEK 346

-34.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$41.30 SEK 388

-37.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$25.71 SEK 241

-26.10%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$15.52 SEK 146

-74.68%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$132 SEK 1,241

134.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$4,119 SEK 38.7K

44.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$94.1 SEK 884

-37.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$40.96 SEK 385

-21.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$99.1 SEK 931

3.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$151 SEK 1,422

-28.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$831 SEK 7,807

-42.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$655 SEK 6,153

-42.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,390 SEK 13.1K

-39.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$1,097 SEK 10.3K

-34.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$4,366 SEK 41.0K

-36.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$3,010 SEK 28.3K

-59.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ostersund: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $831 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: $188 vs $385 – 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 78%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $2,703 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $1,802 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 $1,013, than in Ostersund at $1,802. 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.