Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ystad Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ystad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,718 in Ystad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $2,721 in Ystad, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $3,725 in Ystad, rent included.

Medellin is about 40% cheaper than Ystad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Ystad is 28% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$11.41 SEK 106

-48.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$91.5 SEK 851

-64.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$10.39 SEK 96.7

-30.70%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$3.96 SEK 36.80

-57.07%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$3.10 SEK 28.87

-64.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$2.61 SEK 24.29

-72.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$6.41 SEK 59.6

-73.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$7.80 SEK 72.6

-60.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.74 SEK 16.20

-39.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$2.90 SEK 26.97

-56.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$3.33 SEK 31.00

-58.26%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$3.07 SEK 28.55

-26.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$11.71 SEK 109

-63.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$9.47 SEK 88.1

-38.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$18.82 SEK 175

-53.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$3.02 SEK 28.08

-25.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.77 SEK 25.76

-61.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.97 SEK 27.66

-48.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$4.24 SEK 39.45

-67.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.75 SEK 16.29

-35.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.85 SEK 17.25

-39.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$2.29 SEK 21.25

-62.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.61 SEK 14.93

-43.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$7.84 SEK 72.9

-70.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$11.86 SEK 110

-6.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.22 SEK 20.65

-46.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.53 SEK 23.53

-6.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$3.36 SEK 31.24

-76.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$75.0 SEK 697

-45.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$10.10 SEK 93.9

-85.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.59 SEK 14.76

20.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$63.4 SEK 589

-87.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.89 SEK 17.55

-50.26%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$26.3K SEK 244.5K

-31.85%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$30.3K SEK 281.8K

-11.60%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$123 SEK 1,141

-31.57%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$20.71 SEK 193

-53.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$32.03 SEK 298

-24.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$41.24 SEK 384

-37.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$25.56 SEK 238

-25.51%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$12.53 SEK 117

-68.72%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$177 SEK 1,646

73.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$4,148 SEK 38.6K

42.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$52.9 SEK 492

9.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$39.47 SEK 367

-19.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$94.0 SEK 874

6.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$156 SEK 1,451

-31.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$852 SEK 7,921

-42.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$658 SEK 6,124

-44.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$1,418 SEK 13.2K

-41.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$1,071 SEK 9,957

-33.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$4,423 SEK 41.1K

-33.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$3,203 SEK 29.8K

-56.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$1,996 SEK 18.6K

-72.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

235.75%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Ystad: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $852 in Ystad. 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 266% higher in Ystad, 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 $92.0 in Ystad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $353 – 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 Ystad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ystad is pricier by about 66%, 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 $2,577 in Ystad. 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 $92.0 in Ystad. 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 $1,718 in Ystad. 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 Ystad at $1,718. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ystad 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, Ystad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.