Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Stockholm Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Stockholm

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $2,505 in Stockholm, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $3,800 in Stockholm, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $5,096 in Stockholm, rent included.

Medellin is about 60% cheaper than Stockholm, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Stockholm is 87% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$16.12 SEK 151

-62.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$112 SEK 1,052

-70.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$11.58 SEK 109

-38.77%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$5.08 SEK 47.72

-66.34%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$3.30 SEK 30.99

-66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$2.50 SEK 23.51

-68.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$8.67 SEK 81.5

-80.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$8.30 SEK 78.0

-63.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.72 SEK 16.14

-36.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$3.46 SEK 32.50

-63.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$3.99 SEK 37.52

-65.41%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$4.72 SEK 44.30

-53.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$13.03 SEK 122

-66.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$12.91 SEK 121

-56.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$19.56 SEK 184

-54.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$3.62 SEK 33.96

-35.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$2.83 SEK 26.54

-62.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$3.39 SEK 31.83

-55.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$4.60 SEK 43.17

-70.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.90 SEK 17.82

-39.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.88 SEK 17.66

-38.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$2.60 SEK 24.43

-65.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$1.61 SEK 15.08

-47.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$7.82 SEK 73.5

-70.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$12.85 SEK 121

-17.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$2.16 SEK 20.29

-44.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.24 SEK 21.09

10.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$4.57 SEK 42.88

-81.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$110 SEK 1,035

-62.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$6.27 SEK 58.9

-76.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$1.57 SEK 14.77

24.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$62.5 SEK 587

-87.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.82 SEK 17.09

-47.80%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$33.0K SEK 309.6K

-45.00%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$35.4K SEK 332.7K

-25.21%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$229 SEK 2,148

-64.03%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$28.82 SEK 271

-67.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$41.69 SEK 392

-41.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$46.58 SEK 438

-44.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$38.46 SEK 361

-50.60%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$17.65 SEK 166

-77.73%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$165 SEK 1,552

87.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$6,662 SEK 62.6K

-10.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$97.4 SEK 915

-39.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$49.44 SEK 464

-34.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$117 SEK 1,097

-12.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$204 SEK 1,920

-46.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$1,589 SEK 14.9K

-70.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$1,107 SEK 10.4K

-65.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$2,769 SEK 26.0K

-69.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$1,805 SEK 17.0K

-59.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$12.2K SEK 115.0K

-77.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$6,689 SEK 62.8K

-81.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$3,779 SEK 35.5K

-86.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.16

222.84%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Stockholm: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $1,589 in Stockholm. 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 638% higher in Stockholm, 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 $112 in Stockholm. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $401 – 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 Stockholm: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Stockholm is pricier by about 147%, 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 $3,758 in Stockholm. 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 $112 in Stockholm. 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 $2,505 in Stockholm. 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 Stockholm at $2,505. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stockholm 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, Stockholm makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.