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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,826 in Solna, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $2,849 in Solna, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $3,871 in Solna, rent included.

Medellin is about 8% cheaper than Solna, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Solna sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Solna by 33%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$14.59 SEK 144

-45.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$71.0 SEK 700

-32.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$11.38 SEK 112

-13.09%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$5.05 SEK 49.75

-38.02%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$2.46 SEK 24.20

-22.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$1.52 SEK 15.03

-0.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$7.69 SEK 75.8

-59.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$7.77 SEK 76.6

-26.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.44 SEK 14.21

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$2.62 SEK 25.79

-4.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$3.68 SEK 36.29

-51.90%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$4.03 SEK 39.75

-26.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$9.29 SEK 91.5

8.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$13.41 SEK 132

-24.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$23.18 SEK 228

-38.31%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$3.33 SEK 32.83

24.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$2.12 SEK 20.91

-24.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.62 SEK 25.82

-14.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$3.05 SEK 30.06

-26.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.52 SEK 14.98

34.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.85 SEK 18.25

-16.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$2.25 SEK 22.16

-48.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$1.06 SEK 10.45

23.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$7.77 SEK 76.5

-49.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$12.37 SEK 122

13.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.39 SEK 13.66

25.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.28 SEK 22.51

25.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$4.37 SEK 43.06

-72.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$102 SEK 1,003

-20.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$3.68 SEK 36.27

-64.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$2.92 SEK 28.75

-25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$81.9 SEK 807

-89.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.87 SEK 18.46

-26.74%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$34.9K SEK 343.7K

-20.18%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$33.9K SEK 334.2K

5.48%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$110 SEK 1,089

60.48%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$23.32 SEK 230

-40.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$42.18 SEK 416

-29.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$39.11 SEK 385

14.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$26.25 SEK 259

-34.78%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$14.82 SEK 146

-55.13%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$156 SEK 1,539

420.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$5,263 SEK 51.9K

74.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$109 SEK 1,075

-17.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$40.84 SEK 402

44.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$89.5 SEK 881

54.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$141 SEK 1,386

-27.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$844 SEK 8,317

25.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$616 SEK 6,068

7.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$1,422 SEK 14.0K

32.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$1,042 SEK 10.3K

-1.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$7,089 SEK 69.9K

-40.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$2,873 SEK 28.3K

-41.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$3,831 SEK 37.7K

-82.31%

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: September 14, 2026

Last update for Solna: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $844 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 465% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $71.0 in Solna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $357 – 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 9%, 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 $2,739 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $71.0 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $1,826 in Solna. 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 Solna at $1,826. 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.