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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,788 in Varnamo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $2,849 in Varnamo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $3,910 in Varnamo, rent included.

Medellin is about 6% cheaper than Varnamo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Varnamo sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Varnamo by 31%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$13.63 SEK 134

-41.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$94.6 SEK 932

-49.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$12.37 SEK 122

-20.05%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$4.93 SEK 48.62

-36.51%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$2.76 SEK 27.22

-30.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$2.23 SEK 21.94

-32.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$8.28 SEK 81.6

-62.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$7.34 SEK 72.4

-21.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.71 SEK 16.84

-15.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$2.73 SEK 26.91

-8.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$3.92 SEK 38.63

-54.85%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$4.70 SEK 46.33

-37.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$13.11 SEK 129

-23.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$12.30 SEK 121

-17.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$17.53 SEK 173

-18.43%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$3.13 SEK 30.89

32.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$3.00 SEK 29.57

-46.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.89 SEK 28.44

-22.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$4.68 SEK 46.08

-51.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.79 SEK 17.66

13.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.49 SEK 14.70

3.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$2.74 SEK 27.00

-57.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$1.60 SEK 15.81

-18.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$8.02 SEK 79.0

-51.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$11.67 SEK 115

20.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$2.03 SEK 19.96

-14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.79 SEK 27.45

2.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$3.41 SEK 33.57

-64.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$80.1 SEK 789

0.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$5.14 SEK 50.6

-74.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$1.16 SEK 11.45

88.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$43.03 SEK 424

-79.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.80 SEK 17.72

-23.89%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$34.1K SEK 336.2K

-18.41%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$34.4K SEK 338.5K

4.14%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$81.5 SEK 803

117.65%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$32.13 SEK 317

-56.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$42.81 SEK 422

-30.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$39.50 SEK 389

13.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$26.42 SEK 260

-35.20%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$15.50 SEK 153

-57.10%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$165 SEK 1,628

392.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$5,125 SEK 50.5K

79.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$83.1 SEK 819

7.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$60.5 SEK 596

-2.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$106 SEK 1,043

30.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$129 SEK 1,271

-20.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$844 SEK 8,319

25.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$621 SEK 6,118

6.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$1,410 SEK 13.9K

33.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$1,038 SEK 10.2K

-1.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$4,235 SEK 41.7K

-1.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$2,859 SEK 28.2K

-41.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$2,104 SEK 20.7K

-67.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

3.03

261.06%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Varnamo: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $844 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 210% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $95.0 in Varnamo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $379 – 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 6%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $2,682 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $95.0 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $1,788 in Varnamo. 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 $1,681, than in Varnamo at $1,788. 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.