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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,810 in Varberg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $2,840 in Varberg, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $3,870 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

$5.95 COP 21.2K

$13.96 SEK 132

-57.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 118.9K

$84.2 SEK 799

-60.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.8K

$9.95 SEK 94.4

-27.34%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,811

$4.23 SEK 40.12

-61.47%

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

$1.09 COP 3,904

$0.92 SEK 8.74

18.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,604

$0.91 SEK 8.68

-19.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,197

$7.79 SEK 73.8

-77.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.5K

$8.08 SEK 76.7

-60.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,742

$1.52 SEK 14.40

-30.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,614

$3.12 SEK 29.59

-58.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,718

$3.51 SEK 33.27

-62.39%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 8,101

$4.41 SEK 41.83

-48.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.5K

$12.15 SEK 115

-64.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 21.0K

$11.51 SEK 109

-48.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.7K

$20.97 SEK 199

-58.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 8,015

$3.39 SEK 32.10

-33.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,814

$2.90 SEK 27.48

-63.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,438

$3.29 SEK 31.23

-53.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 5,073

$4.98 SEK 47.19

-71.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,173

$1.55 SEK 14.74

-24.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,166

$1.89 SEK 17.96

-38.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,163

$2.49 SEK 23.64

-64.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,215

$1.18 SEK 11.22

-23.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 8,008

$7.35 SEK 69.7

-69.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 39.4K

$10.61 SEK 101

4.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 4,063

$2.07 SEK 19.62

-44.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,483

$1.26 SEK 11.92

88.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,979

$2.93 SEK 27.77

-71.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 149.6K

$74.8 SEK 709

-43.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 5,019

$5.24 SEK 49.69

-73.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,779

$2.65 SEK 25.14

-28.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.6K

$56.3 SEK 534

-86.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,586

$1.99 SEK 18.91

-49.25%

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

$17.6K COP 62.7M

$32.3K SEK 305.8K

-45.49%

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

$26.5K COP 94.5M

$34.3K SEK 325.0K

-22.70%

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

$83.7 COP 298.4K

$157 SEK 1,491

-46.80%

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

$9.45 COP 33.7K

$21.27 SEK 202

-55.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 86.0K

$31.22 SEK 296

-22.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 90.3K

$41.03 SEK 389

-38.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 68.3K

$25.33 SEK 240

-24.44%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.6K

$16.62 SEK 158

-75.33%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$161 SEK 1,526

93.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 21.4M

$4,144 SEK 39.3K

44.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 207.0K

$90.2 SEK 855

-35.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 116.1K

$42.45 SEK 402

-23.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 355.3K

$98.2 SEK 931

1.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 387.1K

$155 SEK 1,474

-30.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$834 SEK 7,911

-42.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$653 SEK 6,195

-41.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 3.0M

$1,413 SEK 13.4K

-40.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.6M

$1,093 SEK 10.4K

-33.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 10.1M

$6,916 SEK 65.6K

-58.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.4M

$3,720 SEK 35.3K

-67.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$3,323 SEK 31.5K

-83.72%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Varberg: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $834 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 514% 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 $84.0 in Varberg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 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 78%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $2,715 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 $84.0 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $1,810 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 $1,017, than in Varberg at $1,810. 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.