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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $2,631 in Stockholm, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $4,058 in Stockholm, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $5,486 in Stockholm, rent included.

Medellin is about 36% cheaper than Stockholm, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Stockholm sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Stockholm by 92%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$18.81 SEK 185

-57.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$104 SEK 1,027

-54.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$12.18 SEK 120

-18.80%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$5.23 SEK 51.5

-40.15%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$3.69 SEK 36.36

-48.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$3.02 SEK 29.80

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$8.33 SEK 82.1

-62.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$9.34 SEK 92.0

-38.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.70 SEK 16.72

-15.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$4.15 SEK 40.91

-40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$3.91 SEK 38.50

-54.73%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$5.29 SEK 52.2

-44.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$12.99 SEK 128

-22.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$13.43 SEK 132

-24.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$22.60 SEK 223

-36.73%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$3.64 SEK 35.89

13.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$2.84 SEK 27.94

-43.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$3.29 SEK 32.41

-31.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$4.50 SEK 44.32

-50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.74 SEK 17.13

17.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.77 SEK 17.46

-12.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$2.46 SEK 24.27

-52.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$2.35 SEK 23.17

-44.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$8.87 SEK 87.4

-56.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$12.24 SEK 121

14.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$2.09 SEK 20.61

-16.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.58 SEK 25.47

11.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$4.34 SEK 42.77

-71.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$107 SEK 1,058

-25.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$5.96 SEK 58.7

-78.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$1.55 SEK 15.25

41.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$57.2 SEK 563

-84.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.79 SEK 17.64

-23.46%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$34.4K SEK 339.1K

-19.11%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$35.3K SEK 347.8K

1.36%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$264 SEK 2,602

-32.86%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$21.83 SEK 215

-36.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$41.49 SEK 409

-28.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$47.66 SEK 470

-5.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$39.48 SEK 389

-56.64%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$19.15 SEK 189

-65.27%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$166 SEK 1,637

389.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$17.0K SEK 167.9K

-46.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$114 SEK 1,126

-21.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$60.4 SEK 595

-2.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$138 SEK 1,363

-0.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$189 SEK 1,864

-46.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$1,771 SEK 17.4K

-40.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$1,072 SEK 10.6K

-38.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$3,181 SEK 31.3K

-40.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$1,881 SEK 18.5K

-45.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$11.8K SEK 116.3K

-64.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$6,814 SEK 67.2K

-75.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$3,595 SEK 35.4K

-81.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

3.37

224.63%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Stockholm: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $1,771 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 431% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $104 in Stockholm. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $427 – 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 57%, 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 $3,946 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $104 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $2,631 in Stockholm. 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 Stockholm at $2,631. 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.