Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sundsvall Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sundsvall

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $1,807 in Sundsvall, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $2,745 in Sundsvall, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $3,684 in Sundsvall, rent included.

Medellin is about 5% cheaper than Sundsvall, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Sundsvall sit above the global median – Medellin by 25%, Sundsvall by 31%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.2K

$15.45 SEK 147

-48.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 151.7K

$82.3 SEK 784

-41.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.7K

$11.47 SEK 109

-14.82%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,149

$4.86 SEK 46.38

-40.12%

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

$1.94 COP 6,110

$2.51 SEK 23.94

-22.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,783

$1.98 SEK 18.85

-23.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,721

$8.83 SEK 84.2

-65.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

$7.85 SEK 74.8

-26.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,287

$1.56 SEK 14.86

-12.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,505

$3.07 SEK 29.31

-22.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,346

$3.69 SEK 35.19

-53.93%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,021

$3.52 SEK 33.61

-18.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.2K

$10.03 SEK 95.7

-0.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.9K

$10.12 SEK 96.5

6.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.3K

$18.16 SEK 173

-18.89%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$2.75 SEK 26.19

48.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,940

$2.42 SEK 23.11

-35.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,682

$2.61 SEK 24.90

-18.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,959

$4.13 SEK 39.35

-46.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,435

$1.53 SEK 14.58

33.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,728

$1.41 SEK 13.44

6.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,740

$1.84 SEK 17.57

-35.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,640

$0.98 SEK 9.30

18.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$7.78 SEK 74.1

-49.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.4K

$9.49 SEK 90.5

52.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,978

$1.74 SEK 16.59

-9.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,889

$1.43 SEK 13.62

97.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,672

$3.51 SEK 33.45

-66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

$90.7 SEK 865

-14.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,038

$6.21 SEK 59.2

-79.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

$6.41 SEK 61.1

-67.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,080

$1.85 SEK 17.60

-29.73%

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

$27.7K COP 86.9M

$32.2K SEK 307.0K

-14.11%

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

$35.5K COP 111.6M

$32.5K SEK 309.4K

9.41%

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

$176 COP 553.4K

$102 SEK 976

72.08%

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

$13.37 COP 42.0K

$29.85 SEK 285

-55.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.0K

$31.63 SEK 302

-5.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.7K

$41.82 SEK 399

7.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

$12.69 SEK 121

34.44%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

$14.33 SEK 137

-56.73%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$145 SEK 1,384

446.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.1K

$91.8 SEK 876

-6.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 183.8K

$29.13 SEK 278

100.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 428.4K

$78.6 SEK 749

73.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.1K

$138 SEK 1,320

-25.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$701 SEK 6,682

51.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$631 SEK 6,020

7.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$1,230 SEK 11.7K

63.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$926 SEK 8,833

26.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

$2,516 SEK 24.0K

63.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$1,357 SEK 12.9K

25.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$3,141 SEK 29.9K

-78.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

3.88

181.96%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Sundsvall: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $701 in Sundsvall. 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 372% higher in Sundsvall, 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 $82.0 in Sundsvall. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $327 – 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 Sundsvall: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sundsvall is pricier by about 5%, 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 $2,574 per month in Medellin and $2,710 in Sundsvall. 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 $82.0 in Sundsvall. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,716 in Medellin and $1,807 in Sundsvall. 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 $1,716, than in Sundsvall at $1,807. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sundsvall 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, Sundsvall makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.