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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $1,671 in Varberg, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $2,673 in Varberg, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $3,675 in Varberg, rent included.

Medellin is about 2% cheaper than Varberg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Varberg sit above the global median – Medellin by 19%, Varberg by 21%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$15.62 SEK 151

-48.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$79.9 SEK 774

-39.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$10.59 SEK 103

-11.05%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$3.90 SEK 37.85

-24.62%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$1.23 SEK 11.90

51.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$1.12 SEK 10.81

30.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$6.35 SEK 61.6

-49.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$7.90 SEK 76.6

-27.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.55 SEK 15.04

-7.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$3.07 SEK 29.80

-21.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$3.52 SEK 34.15

-51.70%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$4.33 SEK 41.99

-33.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$13.25 SEK 128

-24.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$11.64 SEK 113

-14.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$20.42 SEK 198

-30.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$3.19 SEK 30.94

24.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$2.60 SEK 25.19

-39.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$3.15 SEK 30.58

-31.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$4.37 SEK 42.33

-47.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$1.55 SEK 15.02

29.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$1.62 SEK 15.66

-6.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$2.65 SEK 25.72

-54.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$1.02 SEK 9.91

25.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$7.11 SEK 68.9

-45.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$10.47 SEK 102

33.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$2.10 SEK 20.35

-18.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$1.27 SEK 12.29

115.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$2.97 SEK 28.81

-57.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$81.6 SEK 791

-4.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$5.31 SEK 51.5

-75.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$2.53 SEK 24.50

-14.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$51.5 SEK 499

-83.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.81 SEK 17.53

-24.86%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$34.3K SEK 332.8K

-19.97%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$35.2K SEK 340.8K

3.92%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$146 SEK 1,411

15.90%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$20.72 SEK 201

-34.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$30.78 SEK 298

-7.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$41.70 SEK 404

9.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$41.46 SEK 402

-58.47%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$16.46 SEK 160

-59.60%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$159 SEK 1,544

404.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$3,590 SEK 34.8K

155.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$74.0 SEK 718

17.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$41.00 SEK 397

44.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$113 SEK 1,093

23.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$159 SEK 1,544

-35.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$844 SEK 8,185

26.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$529 SEK 5,130

23.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$1,244 SEK 12.1K

54.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$950 SEK 9,211

10.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$6,747 SEK 65.4K

-38.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$3,577 SEK 34.7K

-52.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$3,274 SEK 31.7K

-80.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

1.9

475.79%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Varberg: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $844 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 400% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $80.0 in Varberg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $368 – 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 2%, 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 $2,507 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $80.0 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 $1,641 in Medellin and $1,671 in Varberg. 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 Varberg at $1,671. 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.