Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Vaxjo Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Vaxjo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,764 in Vaxjo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $2,643 in Vaxjo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $3,523 in Vaxjo, rent included.

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

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Vaxjo is 32% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Vaxjo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.99 COPΒ 21.4K
$12.51 SEKΒ 117
-52.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.86 COPΒ 117.2K
$69.9 SEKΒ 656
-52.98%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.09 COPΒ 25.3K
$10.44 SEKΒ 98.1
-32.09%
Cappuccino
$1.71 COPΒ 6,105
$4.13 SEKΒ 38.76
-58.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10 COPΒ 3,918
$1.24 SEKΒ 11.68
-11.29%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 COPΒ 2,776
$1.31 SEKΒ 12.29
-40.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.68 COPΒ 5,987
$7.49 SEKΒ 70.3
-77.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07 COPΒ 10.9K
$6.82 SEKΒ 64.0
-54.99%
πŸ›’ Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Vaxjo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.09 COPΒ 3,899
$1.80 SEKΒ 16.90
-39.44%
White Bread (500g)
$1.26 COPΒ 4,500
$2.32 SEKΒ 21.81
-45.69%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.38 COPΒ 4,914
$3.94 SEKΒ 37.01
-64.97%
Eggs
$2.19 COPΒ 7,813
$3.92 SEKΒ 36.87
-44.13%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.40 COPΒ 15.7K
$13.79 SEKΒ 130
-68.09%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.63 COPΒ 20.1K
$11.38 SEKΒ 107
-50.53%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.89 COPΒ 31.7K
$13.72 SEKΒ 129
-35.20%
Apples (1kg)
$2.34 COPΒ 8,334
$3.69 SEKΒ 34.69
-36.59%
Banana (1kg)
$1.06 COPΒ 3,771
$2.69 SEKΒ 25.27
-60.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.50 COPΒ 5,365
$1.56 SEKΒ 14.67
-3.85%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.38 COPΒ 4,915
$4.61 SEKΒ 43.28
-70.07%
Potato (1kg)
$1.15 COPΒ 4,104
$1.55 SEKΒ 14.58
-25.81%
Onion (1kg)
$1.16 COPΒ 4,148
$2.02 SEKΒ 18.93
-42.57%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.89 COPΒ 3,176
$2.76 SEKΒ 25.91
-67.75%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84 COPΒ 2,992
$1.63 SEKΒ 15.32
-48.47%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.28 COPΒ 8,131
$7.13 SEKΒ 67.0
-68.02%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.64 COPΒ 37.9K
$10.04 SEKΒ 94.3
5.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 COPΒ 4,276
$1.78 SEKΒ 16.72
-32.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47 COPΒ 8,809
$1.89 SEKΒ 17.74
30.69%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Vaxjo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.86 COPΒ 3,051
$3.03 SEKΒ 28.43
-71.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.40 COPΒ 147.6K
$67.6 SEKΒ 635
-38.79%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.47 COPΒ 5,255
$10.54 SEKΒ 99.0
-86.05%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.96 COPΒ 6,997
$1.65 SEKΒ 15.46
18.79%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.74 COPΒ 27.6K
$21.48 SEKΒ 202
-63.97%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 COPΒ 3,403
$1.98 SEKΒ 18.58
-52.02%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.1K COPΒ 64.6M
$32.4K SEKΒ 304.0K
-43.98%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K COPΒ 94.4M
$32.2K SEKΒ 302.2K
-17.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Vaxjo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.3 COPΒ 293.2K
$88.6 SEKΒ 832
-7.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.50 COPΒ 33.9K
$27.95 SEKΒ 262
-66.01%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.23 COPΒ 86.4K
$32.23 SEKΒ 303
-24.82%
πŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Vaxjo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.89 COPΒ 92.3K
$38.87 SEKΒ 365
-33.39%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.00 COPΒ 67.7K
$25.74 SEKΒ 242
-26.18%
Cinema Ticket
$3.93 COPΒ 14.0K
$16.62 SEKΒ 156
-76.35%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Vaxjo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$309 COPΒ 1.1M
$147 SEKΒ 1,380
110.60%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,965 COPΒ 21.3M
$752 SEKΒ 7,067
692.83%
πŸ‘•πŸ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Vaxjo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.7 COPΒ 209.1K
$106 SEKΒ 999
-44.85%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.35 COPΒ 115.3K
$26.54 SEKΒ 249
21.89%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 COPΒ 365.7K
$101 SEKΒ 953
1.11%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 COPΒ 386.5K
$143 SEKΒ 1,339
-23.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Vaxjo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$476 COPΒ 1.7M
$845 SEKΒ 7,941
-43.68%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$379 COPΒ 1.4M
$678 SEKΒ 6,366
-44.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$838 COPΒ 3.0M
$1,571 SEKΒ 14.8K
-46.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$724 COPΒ 2.6M
$990 SEKΒ 9,296
-26.86%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,791 COPΒ 9.9M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,211 COPΒ 4.3M
$2,620 SEKΒ 24.6K
-53.76%
πŸ’΅ Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Vaxjo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$512 COPΒ 1.8M
$3,306 SEKΒ 31.1K
-84.52%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.43
4.53
196.47%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Vaxjo: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $845 in Vaxjo. 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 546% higher in Vaxjo, 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 $70.0 in Vaxjo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $348 – 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 Vaxjo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Vaxjo cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Vaxjo is pricier by about 74%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $2,646 in Vaxjo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or Vaxjo?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $70.0 in Vaxjo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and cafΓ© pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin vs Vaxjo?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $1,764 in Vaxjo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Medellin or Vaxjo?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Vaxjo at $1,764. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vaxjo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Vaxjo more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Medellin or Vaxjo?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Vaxjo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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