Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Swords Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Swords

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $2,528 in Swords, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $3,699 in Swords, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $4,869 in Swords, rent included.

Medellin is about 60% cheaper than Swords, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 25% below the global median, while Swords is 90% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$18.33 €16.09

-67.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.5K

$93.7 €82.3

-64.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.8K

$10.47 €9.20

-29.04%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,293

$4.37 €3.84

-62.24%

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

$1.10 COP 3,526

$2.40 €2.10

-54.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,499

$1.54 €1.35

-49.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,502

$7.08 €6.21

-75.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.2K

$6.53 €5.73

-51.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,532

$1.46 €1.28

-24.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,028

$2.22 €1.95

-43.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,421

$2.10 €1.84

-34.29%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,973

$4.10 €3.60

-46.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.4K

$11.40 €10.01

-60.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$10.58 €9.29

-45.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.7K

$11.67 €10.25

-23.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,429

$2.91 €2.56

-20.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,408

$2.06 €1.81

-48.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,854

$2.75 €2.42

-44.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,341

$3.49 €3.06

-61.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,611

$1.45 €1.27

-22.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,750

$1.48 €1.30

-20.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,885

$1.35 €1.19

-33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,870

$1.61 €1.42

-44.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,151

$19.59 €17.20

-88.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.8K

$13.74 €12.06

-11.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,805

$3.67 €3.23

-67.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,945

$3.96 €3.47

-37.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,732

$2.41 €2.12

-64.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 133.2K

$97.6 €85.7

-57.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,533

$4.83 €4.24

-70.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,243

$2.05 €1.80

-4.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$38.87 €34.12

-79.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,170

$2.06 €1.81

-51.94%

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

$17.6K COP 56.3M

$42.4K €37.2K

-58.47%

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

$26.8K COP 85.8M

$39.1K €34.3K

-31.45%

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

$83.0 COP 265.7K

$282 €248

-70.59%

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

$9.70 COP 31.0K

$23.10 €20.28

-58.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.3K

$54.4 €47.79

-56.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.8K

$40.82 €35.84

-38.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 61.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$13.71 €12.04

-71.19%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$1,041 €914

-69.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$8,058 €7,075

-25.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 192.0K

$89.0 €78.1

-32.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.8K

$39.70 €34.85

-19.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 325.4K

$99.3 €87.2

2.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 343.9K

$108 €95.1

-0.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$1,494 €1,312

-68.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$1,232 €1,081

-69.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$2,422 €2,127

-64.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$1,929 €1,693

-62.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.5M

$3,920 €3,441

-16.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

$4,852 €4,260

-70.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.04

232.43%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Swords: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $1,494 in Swords. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $94.0 in Swords. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $325 – 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 Swords: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Swords is pricier by about 152%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $3,792 in Swords. 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 $94.0 in Swords. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,003 in Medellin and $2,528 in Swords. 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 $1,003, than in Swords at $2,528. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Swords 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, Swords makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.