Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Umea Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Umea

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,695 in Umea, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $2,667 in Umea, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $3,639 in Umea, rent included.

Medellin is about 39% cheaper than Umea, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Umea is 27% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.0K

$16.05 SEK 155

-61.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.0K

$83.3 SEK 803

-60.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$11.75 SEK 113

-37.53%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,592

$4.12 SEK 39.68

-58.25%

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

$1.05 COP 3,416

$3.39 SEK 32.70

-69.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,511

$2.59 SEK 24.97

-70.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,480

$9.11 SEK 87.8

-81.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$7.43 SEK 71.6

-57.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,418

$1.73 SEK 16.66

-39.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,230

$3.49 SEK 33.61

-62.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,538

$4.24 SEK 40.86

-66.98%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,037

$4.32 SEK 41.61

-50.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$11.50 SEK 111

-61.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$10.99 SEK 106

-46.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$18.49 SEK 178

-53.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,415

$2.82 SEK 27.18

-19.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,599

$2.32 SEK 22.35

-52.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,976

$2.99 SEK 28.77

-48.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,405

$4.48 SEK 43.21

-69.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,669

$1.72 SEK 16.55

-34.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,687

$1.84 SEK 17.74

-38.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,749

$2.62 SEK 25.21

-67.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,971

$1.50 SEK 14.43

-39.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,619

$6.83 SEK 65.8

-65.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.2K

$10.94 SEK 105

13.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,904

$1.66 SEK 15.99

-27.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,094

$2.10 SEK 20.28

18.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,724

$3.02 SEK 29.11

-72.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 131.9K

$60.1 SEK 579

-32.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,617

$5.24 SEK 50.5

-72.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,227

$1.66 SEK 16.00

15.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$46.83 SEK 451

-83.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,219

$1.91 SEK 18.39

-48.17%

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

$18.0K COP 58.6M

$32.2K SEK 310.7K

-44.08%

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

$26.6K COP 86.6M

$34.9K SEK 336.4K

-23.73%

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

$80.8 COP 262.7K

$69.4 SEK 668

16.52%

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

$9.95 COP 32.3K

$34.68 SEK 334

-71.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.6K

$26.86 SEK 259

-9.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.5K

$50.9 SEK 490

-50.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$39.23 SEK 378

-51.19%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$16.00 SEK 154

-75.13%

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

$305 COP 992.2K

$147 SEK 1,417

107.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$4,186 SEK 40.3K

44.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.0K

$101 SEK 978

-42.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.7K

$38.55 SEK 371

-16.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.5K

$126 SEK 1,213

-20.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.3K

$137 SEK 1,318

-21.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.5M

$803 SEK 7,733

-40.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$543 SEK 5,233

-30.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,183 SEK 11.4K

-28.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$899 SEK 8,660

-18.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$4,763 SEK 45.9K

-32.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$3,146 SEK 30.3K

-56.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$2,703 SEK 26.1K

-77.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.53

196.47%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Umea: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $803 in Umea. 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 338% higher in Umea, 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 $83.0 in Umea. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $365 – 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 Umea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Umea is pricier by about 64%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $2,542 in Umea. 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 $83.0 in Umea. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,031 in Medellin and $1,695 in Umea. 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 $1,031, than in Umea at $1,695. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Umea 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, Umea makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.