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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $2,064 in Uppsala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $3,190 in Uppsala, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $4,315 in Uppsala, rent included.

Medellin is about 21% cheaper than Uppsala, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Uppsala sit above the global median – Medellin by 19%, Uppsala by 50%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$15.46 SEK 150

-47.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$84.3 SEK 817

-42.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$10.56 SEK 102

-10.80%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$5.02 SEK 48.67

-41.43%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$3.27 SEK 31.65

-43.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$2.52 SEK 24.42

-42.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$8.25 SEK 80.0

-61.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$10.59 SEK 103

-46.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.90 SEK 18.38

-24.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$2.93 SEK 28.43

-18.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$4.16 SEK 40.31

-59.13%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$5.27 SEK 51.1

-45.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$10.51 SEK 102

-4.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$15.16 SEK 147

-34.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$18.78 SEK 182

-24.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$4.37 SEK 42.41

-8.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$2.81 SEK 27.27

-43.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$3.65 SEK 35.38

-41.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$5.51 SEK 53.4

-58.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$1.82 SEK 17.64

9.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$1.77 SEK 17.13

-14.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$2.72 SEK 26.41

-55.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$1.37 SEK 13.24

-6.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$8.24 SEK 79.9

-53.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$10.53 SEK 102

33.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$2.51 SEK 24.37

-31.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$2.63 SEK 25.48

4.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$4.16 SEK 40.33

-69.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$115 SEK 1,115

-32.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$5.56 SEK 53.9

-76.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$1.31 SEK 12.71

65.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$64.4 SEK 625

-87.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.81 SEK 17.55

-24.86%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$33.8K SEK 327.4K

-18.67%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$34.1K SEK 330.8K

7.09%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$114 SEK 1,101

48.52%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$18.75 SEK 182

-27.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$45.37 SEK 440

-37.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$40.55 SEK 393

12.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$25.00 SEK 242

-31.12%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$19.58 SEK 190

-66.04%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$133 SEK 1,291

503.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$95.2 SEK 923

-8.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$51.8 SEK 502

14.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$99.2 SEK 962

40.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$209 SEK 2,027

-51.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$933 SEK 9,044

14.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$727 SEK 7,052

-10.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$1,822 SEK 17.7K

5.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$1,164 SEK 11.3K

-9.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$5,396 SEK 52.3K

-23.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$2,710 SEK 26.3K

-37.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$3,107 SEK 30.1K

-78.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

3.94

177.66%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Uppsala: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $933 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 374% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $84.0 in Uppsala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $406 – 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 26%, 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 $2,462 per month in Medellin and $3,097 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $84.0 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 $1,641 in Medellin and $2,064 in Uppsala. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,641, than in Uppsala at $2,064. 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.