Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Varberg Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Varberg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,018 per month in Medellin vs $1,804 in Varberg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,609 per month in Medellin vs $2,844 in Varberg, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,200 per month in Medellin vs $3,885 in Varberg, rent included.

Medellin is about 44% cheaper than Varberg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Varberg is 35% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 COP 19.1K

$13.56 SEK 132

-56.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.12 COP 106.6K

$82.8 SEK 805

-60.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.9K

$10.03 SEK 97.4

-29.01%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 5,487

$4.14 SEK 40.23

-58.70%

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

$1.05 COP 3,374

$0.97 SEK 9.46

8.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,324

$0.98 SEK 9.50

-26.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,531

$8.07 SEK 78.3

-78.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$7.78 SEK 75.5

-59.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,426

$1.57 SEK 15.26

-32.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,215

$3.05 SEK 29.58

-57.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,279

$3.53 SEK 34.26

-62.32%

Eggs

$2.28 COP 7,338

$4.33 SEK 42.06

-47.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 COP 14.2K

$12.21 SEK 119

-63.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 COP 19.0K

$11.81 SEK 115

-49.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.8K

$21.19 SEK 206

-59.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 7,545

$3.32 SEK 32.21

-29.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,546

$2.93 SEK 28.43

-62.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,724

$3.28 SEK 31.82

-55.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,439

$4.74 SEK 46.05

-70.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,774

$1.62 SEK 15.74

-27.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,765

$1.95 SEK 18.95

-40.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,905

$2.61 SEK 25.34

-65.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,708

$1.15 SEK 11.16

-26.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,490

$7.01 SEK 68.1

-66.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.3K

$10.37 SEK 101

14.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,693

$2.07 SEK 20.11

-44.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,791

$1.25 SEK 12.17

93.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,702

$2.82 SEK 27.38

-70.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 131.4K

$73.0 SEK 709

-44.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,541

$5.12 SEK 49.68

-72.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,160

$2.55 SEK 24.73

-25.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.2K

$55.8 SEK 542

-85.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,037

$1.93 SEK 18.78

-51.30%

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

$17.8K COP 57.3M

$32.9K SEK 319.2K

-45.79%

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

$27.1K COP 87.1M

$33.7K SEK 327.0K

-19.56%

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

$83.3 COP 267.9K

$157 SEK 1,529

-47.10%

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

$9.66 COP 31.1K

$20.83 SEK 202

-53.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 COP 77.9K

$32.21 SEK 313

-24.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 81.2K

$40.62 SEK 395

-37.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 62.2K

$25.23 SEK 245

-23.38%

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 13.1K

$16.86 SEK 164

-75.86%

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

$307 COP 986.5K

$161 SEK 1,564

90.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.2M

$4,058 SEK 39.4K

47.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 192.9K

$88.2 SEK 856

-32.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 COP 105.1K

$41.66 SEK 405

-21.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 325.2K

$101 SEK 978

0.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 347.6K

$157 SEK 1,521

-31.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

$836 SEK 8,120

-43.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

$645 SEK 6,267

-41.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

$1,380 SEK 13.4K

-40.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

$1,103 SEK 10.7K

-35.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.3M

$6,638 SEK 64.5K

-51.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.7M

$3,652 SEK 35.5K

-60.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

$3,197 SEK 31.0K

-80.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

1.9

606.84%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Last update for Varberg: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $836 in Varberg. 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 414% higher in Varberg, 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 Varberg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $192 vs $374 – 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 Varberg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Varberg is pricier by about 77%, 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 $1,527 per month in Medellin and $2,707 in Varberg. 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 Varberg. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,018 in Medellin and $1,804 in Varberg. 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 $1,018, than in Varberg at $1,804. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Varberg 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, Varberg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.