Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Uppsala Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Uppsala

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,972 in Uppsala, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $2,967 in Uppsala, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $3,962 in Uppsala, rent included.

Medellin is about 48% cheaper than Uppsala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Uppsala is 48% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$16.00 SEK 155

-61.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$68.7 SEK 665

-52.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$11.72 SEK 113

-37.37%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$4.89 SEK 47.37

-64.83%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$2.68 SEK 25.91

-60.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$2.26 SEK 21.87

-65.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$8.31 SEK 80.5

-79.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$8.53 SEK 82.6

-62.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.63 SEK 15.81

-35.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$2.89 SEK 27.97

-55.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$4.67 SEK 45.21

-70.02%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$5.19 SEK 50.2

-58.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$12.16 SEK 118

-63.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$13.90 SEK 135

-57.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$17.40 SEK 168

-50.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$3.89 SEK 37.69

-41.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.83 SEK 27.40

-60.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$3.61 SEK 34.94

-57.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$5.18 SEK 50.2

-73.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.66 SEK 16.10

-31.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.86 SEK 18.01

-39.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$2.70 SEK 26.17

-68.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.31 SEK 12.73

-30.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$8.15 SEK 78.9

-71.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$10.44 SEK 101

18.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.47 SEK 23.88

-51.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.63 SEK 25.50

-5.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$4.17 SEK 40.38

-79.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$108 SEK 1,050

-62.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$5.64 SEK 54.6

-74.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.20 SEK 11.60

60.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$64.2 SEK 621

-88.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.99 SEK 19.26

-50.25%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$32.1K SEK 310.4K

-43.76%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$33.9K SEK 328.1K

-21.42%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$110 SEK 1,063

-26.42%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$28.97 SEK 280

-65.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$42.96 SEK 416

-43.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$39.06 SEK 378

-35.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$27.76 SEK 269

-31.02%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$20.37 SEK 197

-80.46%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$145 SEK 1,406

110.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$5,535 SEK 53.6K

9.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$87.8 SEK 850

-33.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$41.63 SEK 403

-22.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$99.6 SEK 964

1.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$157 SEK 1,517

-31.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$928 SEK 8,982

-48.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$756 SEK 7,323

-50.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,500 SEK 14.5K

-43.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$1,086 SEK 10.5K

-32.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$5,452 SEK 52.8K

-41.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$2,626 SEK 25.4K

-47.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$3,066 SEK 29.7K

-79.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.8

179.79%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Uppsala: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $928 in Uppsala. 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 397% higher in Uppsala, 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 $69.0 in Uppsala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $393 – 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 Uppsala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Uppsala is pricier by about 91%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $2,958 in Uppsala. 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 $69.0 in Uppsala. 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 $1,972 in Uppsala. 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 Uppsala at $1,972. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Uppsala 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, Uppsala makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.