Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Varnamo Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Varnamo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,814 in Varnamo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $2,828 in Varnamo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $3,842 in Varnamo, rent included.

Medellin is about 43% cheaper than Varnamo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Varnamo is 35% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$12.57 SEK 117

-52.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$87.3 SEK 812

-62.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$12.19 SEK 113

-40.94%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$5.05 SEK 46.93

-66.34%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$2.84 SEK 26.38

-61.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$2.07 SEK 19.28

-65.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$8.00 SEK 74.4

-79.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$7.51 SEK 69.8

-58.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.60 SEK 14.90

-33.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$2.13 SEK 19.83

-41.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$2.94 SEK 27.34

-52.72%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$4.44 SEK 41.29

-49.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$13.16 SEK 122

-67.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$11.74 SEK 109

-50.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$16.83 SEK 157

-47.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$3.17 SEK 29.50

-29.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.82 SEK 26.23

-61.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.77 SEK 25.75

-44.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$4.52 SEK 42.07

-69.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.69 SEK 15.69

-33.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.59 SEK 14.83

-29.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$2.66 SEK 24.78

-68.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.28 SEK 11.89

-28.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$8.20 SEK 76.3

-71.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$12.22 SEK 114

-8.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.02 SEK 18.80

-41.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.25 SEK 20.91

5.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$3.48 SEK 32.36

-77.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$73.7 SEK 686

-44.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$5.61 SEK 52.2

-74.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$2.56 SEK 23.77

-25.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$63.8 SEK 593

-87.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.89 SEK 17.61

-50.26%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$32.7K SEK 303.8K

-45.14%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$34.1K SEK 316.8K

-21.35%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$123 SEK 1,141

-31.59%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$29.26 SEK 272

-67.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$40.11 SEK 373

-39.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$41.27 SEK 384

-37.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$24.88 SEK 231

-23.47%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$17.70 SEK 165

-77.85%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$179 SEK 1,664

71.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$4,165 SEK 38.7K

42.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$80.2 SEK 746

-27.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$61.0 SEK 567

-47.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$106 SEK 986

-5.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$127 SEK 1,181

-15.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$833 SEK 7,743

-41.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$663 SEK 6,169

-44.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$1,377 SEK 12.8K

-40.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$1,065 SEK 9,902

-32.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$4,394 SEK 40.9K

-33.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$3,014 SEK 28.0K

-53.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$2,169 SEK 20.2K

-74.85%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Varnamo: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $833 in Varnamo. 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 298% higher in Varnamo, 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 $87.0 in Varnamo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $355 – 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 Varnamo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Varnamo is pricier by about 75%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $2,720 in Varnamo. 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 $87.0 in Varnamo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $1,814 in Varnamo. 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 $1,034, than in Varnamo at $1,814. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Varnamo 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, Varnamo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.