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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,692 in Ystad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $2,716 in Ystad, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $3,740 in Ystad, rent included.

Medellin is about 1% cheaper than Ystad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Ystad sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Ystad by 24%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$12.41 SEK 122

-35.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$89.7 SEK 881

-46.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$10.53 SEK 103

-6.08%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$3.09 SEK 30.35

1.29%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$2.92 SEK 28.72

-34.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$2.38 SEK 23.40

-36.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$7.15 SEK 70.2

-56.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$7.96 SEK 78.2

-27.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.74 SEK 17.07

-17.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$2.83 SEK 27.76

-12.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$3.22 SEK 31.64

-45.03%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$3.15 SEK 30.94

-6.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$11.86 SEK 117

-15.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$9.53 SEK 93.6

6.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$17.36 SEK 171

-17.63%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$3.26 SEK 32.02

26.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$2.57 SEK 25.29

-37.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$3.20 SEK 31.40

-29.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$4.40 SEK 43.24

-48.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$1.68 SEK 16.46

21.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$1.69 SEK 16.56

-8.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$2.02 SEK 19.82

-42.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$1.76 SEK 17.27

-25.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$8.54 SEK 83.9

-54.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$12.57 SEK 123

11.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$2.20 SEK 21.60

-20.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$2.24 SEK 21.99

28.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$3.35 SEK 32.95

-63.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$79.9 SEK 785

0.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$6.28 SEK 61.7

-79.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$1.78 SEK 17.45

23.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$62.4 SEK 613

-86.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$1.93 SEK 18.99

-29.02%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$30.8K SEK 302.1K

-9.48%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$35.5K SEK 349.1K

0.67%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$106 SEK 1,042

67.11%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$19.40 SEK 191

-28.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$31.45 SEK 309

-5.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$39.48 SEK 388

13.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

$26.20 SEK 257

-34.66%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$12.39 SEK 122

-46.33%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$187 SEK 1,835

335.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$4,588 SEK 45.1K

100.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$52.4 SEK 515

70.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$33.85 SEK 333

74.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$94.1 SEK 924

46.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$135 SEK 1,331

-24.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$845 SEK 8,299

25.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$604 SEK 5,935

9.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$1,426 SEK 14.0K

32.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$1,048 SEK 10.3K

-1.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$4,229 SEK 41.6K

-1.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$2,901 SEK 28.5K

-42.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,914 SEK 18.8K

-64.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

3.06

257.52%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Ystad: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $845 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 182% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $90.0 in Ystad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $351 – 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 1%, 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 $2,537 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $90.0 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $1,692 in Ystad. 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 Ystad at $1,692. 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.