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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,999 in Uppsala, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $3,014 in Uppsala, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $4,028 in Uppsala, rent included.

Medellin is about 49% cheaper than Uppsala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Uppsala is 49% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$15.78 SEK 148

-62.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$69.9 SEK 656

-52.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$11.40 SEK 107

-37.81%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$5.00 SEK 47.00

-65.80%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$2.67 SEK 25.05

-58.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$2.19 SEK 20.56

-64.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$8.39 SEK 78.8

-79.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$8.66 SEK 81.4

-64.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.63 SEK 15.33

-33.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$2.75 SEK 25.83

-54.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$4.53 SEK 42.59

-69.54%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$5.10 SEK 47.92

-57.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$11.89 SEK 112

-62.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$13.97 SEK 131

-59.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$16.80 SEK 158

-47.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$3.74 SEK 35.09

-37.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$2.79 SEK 26.21

-62.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$3.57 SEK 33.51

-57.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$5.18 SEK 48.69

-73.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.58 SEK 14.82

-27.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.79 SEK 16.81

-35.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$2.63 SEK 24.72

-66.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$1.32 SEK 12.41

-36.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$8.14 SEK 76.4

-71.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$10.81 SEK 102

-1.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$2.41 SEK 22.62

-50.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.57 SEK 24.13

-3.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$4.01 SEK 37.63

-78.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$109 SEK 1,023

-62.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$5.69 SEK 53.4

-74.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$1.19 SEK 11.17

64.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$63.5 SEK 597

-87.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$2.01 SEK 18.84

-52.74%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$33.2K SEK 311.7K

-45.36%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$33.8K SEK 317.6K

-21.67%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$111 SEK 1,040

-25.74%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$29.67 SEK 279

-67.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$43.81 SEK 412

-44.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$38.15 SEK 358

-32.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$28.06 SEK 264

-32.29%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$19.76 SEK 186

-80.11%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$149 SEK 1,400

107.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$5,570 SEK 52.3K

7.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$88.7 SEK 833

-33.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$41.94 SEK 394

-22.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$98.7 SEK 927

3.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$157 SEK 1,471

-30.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$943 SEK 8,862

-49.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$755 SEK 7,087

-49.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,503 SEK 14.1K

-44.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$1,075 SEK 10.1K

-32.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$5,511 SEK 51.8K

-49.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$2,972 SEK 27.9K

-59.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$3,097 SEK 29.1K

-83.47%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Uppsala: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $943 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 505% 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 $70.0 in Uppsala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $387 – 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 97%, 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 $2,999 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 $70.0 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $1,999 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 $1,013, than in Uppsala at $1,999. 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.