Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Solna

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,639 a month against $1,758 in Solna, rent and utilities included – about $1,400 less a year. The total is higher in Solna despite lower rent and utilities.

Medellin, Colombia
Solna, Sweden
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Solna
🇸🇪 Sweden
$1,758
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Solna

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Solna actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $1,758 in Solna, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Solna $1,758

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $2,740 in Solna, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Solna $2,740

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $3,722 in Solna, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Solna $3,722

Medellin is about 7% cheaper than Solna, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Medellin and Solna sit above the global median – Medellin by 20%, Solna by 29%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Solna
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 26.1K
$14.14 SEK 139
-42.79%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 151.7K
$67.1 SEK 658
-29.85%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.6K
$11.11 SEK 109
-14.49%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,722
$4.86 SEK 47.68
-38.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,801
$2.31 SEK 22.67
-22.08%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,554
$1.44 SEK 14.11
-2.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 10.2K
$7.69 SEK 75.5
-58.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.5K
$7.71 SEK 75.7
-25.42%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Solna
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,869
$1.46 SEK 14.36
3.42%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,667
$2.59 SEK 25.44
-8.11%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,712
$3.69 SEK 36.18
-52.03%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,320
$4.07 SEK 39.96
-28.99%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.9K
$9.08 SEK 89.1
12.22%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.8K
$12.60 SEK 124
-21.67%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 45.1K
$22.50 SEK 221
-37.82%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.8K
$3.25 SEK 31.85
22.15%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 5,005
$2.06 SEK 20.18
-24.76%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,039
$2.59 SEK 25.37
-15.83%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,041
$3.07 SEK 30.11
-28.99%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,328
$1.53 SEK 15.03
28.10%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,125
$1.82 SEK 17.84
-12.64%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,694
$2.20 SEK 21.64
-47.73%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 4,009
$0.99 SEK 9.74
25.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.8K
$7.46 SEK 73.2
-46.92%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 44.1K
$13.53 SEK 133
1.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,352
$1.34 SEK 13.13
23.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,281
$2.22 SEK 21.74
1.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Solna
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,766
$4.21 SEK 41.27
-72.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 249.5K
$98.2 SEK 963
-21.17%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,089
$3.47 SEK 34.08
-63.40%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,603
$2.49 SEK 24.47
-17.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 27.6K
$80.3 SEK 788
-89.36%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,343
$1.83 SEK 17.97
-26.23%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 109.8M
$33.7K SEK 330.4K
1.19%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 111.8M
$32.3K SEK 317.4K
7.19%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Solna
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 547.0K
$105 SEK 1,034
60.99%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 43.7K
$22.31 SEK 219
-39.26%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 90.5K
$40.47 SEK 397
-30.64%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Solna
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 140.9K
$37.12 SEK 364
17.73%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 55.4K
$26.15 SEK 257
-34.26%
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 22.3K
$14.38 SEK 141
-51.95%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Solna
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.6M
$151 SEK 1,486
426.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 29.4M
$5,071 SEK 49.8K
79.68%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Solna
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 273.2K
$106 SEK 1,041
-20.17%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 186.9K
$41.10 SEK 403
41.02%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 435.2K
$87.6 SEK 859
54.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 315.6K
$139 SEK 1,364
-29.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Solna
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.9M
$795 SEK 7,801
51.94%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.1M
$601 SEK 5,896
6.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.5M
$1,377 SEK 13.5K
47.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.3M
$1,034 SEK 10.1K
-2.12%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.4M
$6,820 SEK 66.9K
-38.86%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.2M
$2,758 SEK 27.1K
-30.74%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Solna
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
$3,527 SEK 34.6K
-81.37%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
3.53
209.92%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Solna: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Solna
$601 6.3% $41
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Solna
$351 18.1% $54
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Solna
$168 20.4% $43
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Solna
$274 61.3% $104
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Solna
$168 0.5% $0.8
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Solna
$131 39.9% $37
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Solna
$66 14.5% $8.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $795 in Solna. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Solna are about 5.4 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $67 in Solna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $351 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇸🇪 Solna
🕒 Local time
22:59 10:59 PM
04:59 4:59 AM
6 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
85,540
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

SEK, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3,224 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,600 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 9.81 SEK (1 SEK = 0.102 USD). 1 EUR = 10.96 SEK (100 SEK = 9.13 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Solna 9,610 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Solna

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Solna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Solna?
Yes – Solna is pricier by about 7%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $2,638 in Solna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Solna, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $795 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Solna?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $67 in Solna. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Solna?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,639 in Medellin and $1,758 in Solna. That makes Medellin about 7% cheaper.
Is $2,500 enough for either Medellin or Solna?
$2,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,639 in Medellin and $1,758 in Solna, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city suits remote workers better?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,639 versus $1,758 in Solna. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Solna makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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