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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,841 in Varnamo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $2,819 in Varnamo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $3,796 in Varnamo, rent included.

Medellin is about 45% cheaper than Varnamo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Varnamo is 37% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$12.64 SEK 119

-52.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$88.6 SEK 831

-62.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$11.82 SEK 111

-38.83%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$4.89 SEK 45.83

-66.67%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$2.90 SEK 27.24

-62.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$2.14 SEK 20.08

-65.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$8.11 SEK 76.1

-78.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$7.21 SEK 67.6

-55.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.61 SEK 15.06

-34.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$2.21 SEK 20.77

-41.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$2.96 SEK 27.79

-55.41%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$4.44 SEK 41.61

-48.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$13.09 SEK 123

-66.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$11.54 SEK 108

-49.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$17.41 SEK 163

-50.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$3.17 SEK 29.70

-29.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$2.89 SEK 27.10

-62.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.82 SEK 26.47

-46.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$4.31 SEK 40.44

-67.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.67 SEK 15.71

-29.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.58 SEK 14.86

-25.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$2.64 SEK 24.78

-66.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.28 SEK 12.02

-29.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$7.86 SEK 73.7

-71.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$11.90 SEK 112

-7.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.94 SEK 18.22

-41.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.22 SEK 20.81

7.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$3.29 SEK 30.82

-74.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$73.2 SEK 687

-42.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$5.66 SEK 53.1

-75.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$2.57 SEK 24.09

-26.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$62.9 SEK 590

-87.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.95 SEK 18.25

-48.21%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$33.2K SEK 311.5K

-47.07%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$34.1K SEK 319.6K

-22.23%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$122 SEK 1,143

-31.30%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$28.28 SEK 265

-66.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$41.20 SEK 387

-41.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$40.64 SEK 381

-37.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$25.11 SEK 236

-23.78%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$17.74 SEK 166

-76.89%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$174 SEK 1,635

79.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$4,125 SEK 38.7K

45.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$78.6 SEK 737

-26.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$60.7 SEK 569

-46.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$104 SEK 977

-4.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$131 SEK 1,225

-16.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$852 SEK 7,988

-43.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$645 SEK 6,047

-41.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$1,375 SEK 12.9K

-39.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$1,070 SEK 10.0K

-32.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$4,312 SEK 40.4K

-34.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$3,016 SEK 28.3K

-59.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$2,115 SEK 19.8K

-74.43%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Varnamo: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $852 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 291% 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 $89.0 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 81%, 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 $2,762 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 $89.0 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $1,841 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 $1,017, than in Varnamo at $1,841. 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.