Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Solna Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Solna

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,792 in Solna, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $2,718 in Solna, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $3,643 in Solna, rent included.

Medellin is about 42% cheaper than Solna, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Solna is 34% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$14.86 SEK 144

-58.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$56.6 SEK 548

-42.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$10.66 SEK 103

-31.14%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$4.94 SEK 47.85

-65.18%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$3.18 SEK 30.76

-66.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$1.55 SEK 14.99

-50.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$7.43 SEK 72.0

-77.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$7.84 SEK 75.9

-59.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.53 SEK 14.82

-31.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$2.68 SEK 25.96

-51.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$3.77 SEK 36.51

-62.86%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$3.84 SEK 37.19

-43.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$9.51 SEK 92.1

-53.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$12.50 SEK 121

-52.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$14.81 SEK 143

-41.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.70 SEK 16.49

34.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.16 SEK 20.90

-48.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.62 SEK 25.34

-41.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$3.13 SEK 30.30

-56.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.61 SEK 15.63

-29.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.03 SEK 19.61

-44.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$2.31 SEK 22.32

-63.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.08 SEK 10.47

-15.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$7.53 SEK 72.9

-68.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$12.16 SEK 118

1.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.46 SEK 14.14

-17.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$0.96 SEK 9.25

159.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$4.51 SEK 43.67

-81.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$102 SEK 984

-60.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$3.63 SEK 35.12

-60.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.57 SEK 15.23

22.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$85.1 SEK 824

-91.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.91 SEK 18.46

-48.17%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$27.3K SEK 264.3K

-33.96%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$30.5K SEK 295.5K

-12.75%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$110 SEK 1,067

-26.66%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$28.28 SEK 274

-64.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$41.42 SEK 401

-41.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$47.03 SEK 455

-46.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$25.77 SEK 249

-25.69%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$15.27 SEK 148

-73.94%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$161 SEK 1,559

89.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$4,103 SEK 39.7K

47.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$93.9 SEK 909

-38.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$42.75 SEK 414

-24.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$91.9 SEK 890

9.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$52.9 SEK 512

103.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$845 SEK 8,177

-43.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$657 SEK 6,361

-42.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,421 SEK 13.8K

-40.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$1,086 SEK 10.5K

-32.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$6,909 SEK 66.9K

-53.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$2,895 SEK 28.0K

-52.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$3,730 SEK 36.1K

-83.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.8

179.79%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Solna: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $845 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 run about 505% higher in Solna, 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $57.0 in Solna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $320 – 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 Solna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Solna is pricier by about 74%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $2,688 in Solna. 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 $57.0 in Solna. 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 $1,792 in Solna. 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 Solna at $1,792. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Solna 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, Solna makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.