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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,694 in Umea, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $2,666 in Umea, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $3,638 in Umea, rent included.

Medellin is about 40% cheaper than Umea, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Umea is 26% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$16.05 SEK 150

-62.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$85.4 SEK 796

-61.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$11.41 SEK 106

-37.86%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$4.29 SEK 40.00

-60.14%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$3.39 SEK 31.65

-67.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$2.51 SEK 23.45

-68.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$9.11 SEK 85.0

-81.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$7.55 SEK 70.4

-59.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.69 SEK 15.80

-35.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$3.58 SEK 33.37

-64.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$4.32 SEK 40.31

-68.06%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$4.29 SEK 40.00

-48.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$11.93 SEK 111

-63.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$11.05 SEK 103

-49.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$18.30 SEK 171

-51.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$2.84 SEK 26.48

-17.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$2.39 SEK 22.30

-55.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$2.84 SEK 26.47

-47.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$4.44 SEK 41.41

-68.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.68 SEK 15.65

-31.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.82 SEK 16.96

-36.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$2.62 SEK 24.40

-66.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$1.48 SEK 13.78

-43.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$6.70 SEK 62.5

-65.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$11.34 SEK 106

-6.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.66 SEK 15.46

-27.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.22 SEK 20.76

11.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$3.14 SEK 29.31

-72.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$59.1 SEK 552

-29.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$5.22 SEK 48.74

-71.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$1.60 SEK 14.97

22.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$47.06 SEK 439

-83.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.95 SEK 18.18

-51.28%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$32.7K SEK 305.4K

-44.60%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$35.2K SEK 328.7K

-24.81%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$67.8 SEK 632

21.35%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$34.49 SEK 322

-72.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$27.30 SEK 255

-11.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$51.7 SEK 483

-49.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$38.59 SEK 360

-50.76%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$15.92 SEK 149

-75.31%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$149 SEK 1,388

107.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$4,094 SEK 38.2K

45.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$99.1 SEK 925

-40.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$38.23 SEK 357

-15.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$126 SEK 1,171

-18.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$136 SEK 1,267

-20.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$793 SEK 7,395

-39.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$530 SEK 4,942

-28.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,192 SEK 11.1K

-29.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$895 SEK 8,347

-19.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$4,972 SEK 46.4K

-43.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$3,309 SEK 30.9K

-63.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$2,875 SEK 26.8K

-82.20%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Umea: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $793 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 462% 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 $85.0 in Umea. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $367 – 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 67%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $2,541 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 $85.0 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $1,694 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 $1,013, than in Umea at $1,694. 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.