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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,776 in Sundsvall, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $2,653 in Sundsvall, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $3,530 in Sundsvall, rent included.

Medellin is about 43% cheaper than Sundsvall, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Sundsvall is 33% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$12.51 SEK 118

-52.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$84.4 SEK 793

-61.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$10.30 SEK 96.7

-31.17%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$4.41 SEK 41.46

-61.22%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$2.53 SEK 23.76

-56.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$2.10 SEK 19.72

-62.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$7.44 SEK 69.9

-77.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$8.09 SEK 76.0

-62.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.58 SEK 14.86

-31.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$3.31 SEK 31.07

-61.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$3.74 SEK 35.14

-63.10%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$3.58 SEK 33.65

-38.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$10.20 SEK 95.9

-56.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$10.35 SEK 97.2

-45.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$18.47 SEK 173

-51.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$2.90 SEK 27.22

-19.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$2.44 SEK 22.88

-56.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$2.65 SEK 24.91

-43.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$4.06 SEK 38.09

-66.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.46 SEK 13.76

-21.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.48 SEK 13.87

-21.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$1.88 SEK 17.67

-52.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.99 SEK 9.32

-15.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$7.78 SEK 73.1

-70.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$9.39 SEK 88.2

13.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.64 SEK 15.39

-26.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$1.50 SEK 14.13

64.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$3.42 SEK 32.17

-74.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$86.4 SEK 811

-52.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$6.20 SEK 58.2

-76.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$1.23 SEK 11.58

59.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$61.1 SEK 574

-87.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.90 SEK 17.85

-50.00%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$26.5K SEK 249.2K

-31.65%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$27.7K SEK 259.8K

-4.23%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$131 SEK 1,235

-37.43%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$30.18 SEK 283

-68.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$26.01 SEK 244

-6.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$38.55 SEK 362

-32.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$26.01 SEK 244

-26.95%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$14.47 SEK 136

-72.84%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$144 SEK 1,353

114.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$4,148 SEK 39.0K

43.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$93.6 SEK 879

-37.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$30.00 SEK 282

7.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$75.7 SEK 711

35.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$132 SEK 1,239

-17.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$828 SEK 7,776

-42.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$625 SEK 5,872

-39.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,197 SEK 11.2K

-29.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$890 SEK 8,361

-18.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$2,598 SEK 24.4K

7.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,350 SEK 12.7K

-10.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$3,231 SEK 30.4K

-84.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.48

199.78%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sundsvall: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $828 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 531% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $84.0 in Sundsvall. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $333 – 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 75%, 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 $2,664 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $84.0 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $1,776 in Sundsvall. 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 Sundsvall at $1,776. 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.