Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Skovde Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Skovde

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $1,859 in Skovde, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $2,924 in Skovde, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $3,989 in Skovde, rent included.

Medellin is about 9% cheaper than Skovde, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Skovde sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Skovde by 36%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$13.57 SEK 129

-41.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$83.6 SEK 792

-46.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$10.32 SEK 97.8

-9.98%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$4.35 SEK 41.26

-33.33%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$3.29 SEK 31.21

-44.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$2.48 SEK 23.48

-37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$8.21 SEK 77.8

-60.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$10.32 SEK 97.8

-43.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.45 SEK 13.77

-4.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$2.94 SEK 27.86

-16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$4.12 SEK 39.07

-63.35%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$3.86 SEK 36.58

-27.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$10.65 SEK 101

-15.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$13.73 SEK 130

-22.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$18.51 SEK 175

-20.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$4.27 SEK 40.48

-7.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$2.87 SEK 27.24

-51.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$3.82 SEK 36.17

-39.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$5.67 SEK 53.8

-64.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$1.61 SEK 15.26

29.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$1.79 SEK 16.98

-8.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$2.81 SEK 26.65

-61.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$1.34 SEK 12.69

-6.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$8.03 SEK 76.1

-49.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$8.54 SEK 80.9

57.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$2.53 SEK 23.95

-36.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$2.65 SEK 25.12

13.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$3.78 SEK 35.81

-68.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

$86.8 SEK 822

-7.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$5.55 SEK 52.5

-70.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$1.40 SEK 13.26

52.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$65.6 SEK 622

-87.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.78 SEK 16.91

-24.16%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$34.1K SEK 323.2K

-16.96%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$34.9K SEK 330.7K

2.27%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$118 SEK 1,118

28.32%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$11.57 SEK 110

13.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$45.13 SEK 428

-28.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$39.05 SEK 370

18.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

$26.97 SEK 256

-36.00%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$20.40 SEK 193

-68.48%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$131 SEK 1,237

539.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$5,288 SEK 50.1K

68.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$97.2 SEK 921

-8.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$31.40 SEK 298

76.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$62.9 SEK 596

117.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$213 SEK 2,018

-48.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$848 SEK 8,039

12.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$609 SEK 5,774

9.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$1,424 SEK 13.5K

41.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$1,057 SEK 10.0K

8.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$4,290 SEK 40.6K

-13.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$2,951 SEK 28.0K

-46.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$3,521 SEK 33.4K

-82.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

247.67%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Skovde: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Medellin versus $848 in Skovde. 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 463% higher in Skovde, 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 $45.00 in Medellin versus $84.0 in Skovde. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 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 Skovde: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Skovde is pricier by about 10%, 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 $2,530 per month in Medellin and $2,788 in Skovde. 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 $45.00 in Medellin and $84.0 in Skovde. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,687 in Medellin and $1,859 in Skovde. 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 $1,687, than in Skovde at $1,859. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Skovde 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, Skovde makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.