Cost of Living Comparison Between Ostersund and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Ostersund and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,802 per month in Ostersund vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,847 per month in Ostersund vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,892 per month in Ostersund vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Ostersund costs about 78% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ostersund sits 34% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.38 SEK 125

$5.99 COP 21.4K

123.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.5 SEK 677

$32.86 COP 117.4K

120.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.76 SEK 100

$7.09 COP 25.3K

51.76%

Cappuccino

$4.70 SEK 43.81

$1.71 COP 6,115

174.85%

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

$2.82 SEK 26.29

$1.10 COP 3,924

156.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 SEK 22.49

$0.78 COP 2,781

208.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.59 SEK 70.8

$1.68 COP 5,997

351.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.83 SEK 73.1

$3.07 COP 11.0K

155.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 SEK 14.58

$1.09 COP 3,906

43.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 SEK 28.45

$1.26 COP 4,508

142.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.90 SEK 45.74

$1.38 COP 4,922

255.07%

Eggs

$3.59 SEK 33.50

$2.19 COP 7,827

63.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.51 SEK 135

$4.40 COP 15.7K

229.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.72 SEK 109

$5.63 COP 20.1K

108.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.19 SEK 151

$8.89 COP 31.8K

82.11%

Apples (1kg)

$4.53 SEK 42.24

$2.34 COP 8,349

93.59%

Banana (1kg)

$3.09 SEK 28.80

$1.06 COP 3,777

191.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.64 SEK 33.95

$1.50 COP 5,374

142.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 SEK 38.63

$1.38 COP 4,924

200.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.73 SEK 34.77

$1.15 COP 4,111

224.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 SEK 16.61

$1.16 COP 4,155

53.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 SEK 23.36

$0.89 COP 3,182

180.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 SEK 14.09

$0.84 COP 2,997

79.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.21 SEK 76.6

$2.28 COP 8,145

260.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.85 SEK 101

$10.64 COP 38.0K

1.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 SEK 17.82

$1.20 COP 4,284

59.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 SEK 18.18

$2.47 COP 8,824

-21.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.44 SEK 32.07

$0.86 COP 3,056

300.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.1 SEK 691

$41.40 COP 147.9K

78.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.43 SEK 60.0

$1.47 COP 5,264

337.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 SEK 15.34

$1.96 COP 7,009

-16.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.1 SEK 579

$7.74 COP 27.6K

702.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 SEK 19.51

$0.95 COP 3,409

120.00%

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

$33.0K SEK 308.4K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

82.28%

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

$34.4K SEK 320.6K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

29.74%

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

$114 SEK 1,067

$82.3 COP 293.7K

39.00%

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

$28.69 SEK 268

$9.50 COP 33.9K

202.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.81 SEK 343

$24.23 COP 86.5K

51.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.30 SEK 385

$25.89 COP 92.4K

59.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.71 SEK 240

$19.00 COP 67.9K

35.32%

Cinema Ticket

$15.52 SEK 145

$3.93 COP 14.0K

294.91%

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

$132 SEK 1,233

$309 COP 1.1M

-57.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,119 SEK 38.4K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-30.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.1 SEK 878

$58.7 COP 209.5K

60.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.96 SEK 382

$32.35 COP 115.5K

26.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 SEK 924

$103 COP 366.4K

-3.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$151 SEK 1,413

$108 COP 387.2K

39.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$831 SEK 7,756

$476 COP 1.7M

74.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$655 SEK 6,113

$379 COP 1.4M

72.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,390 SEK 13.0K

$838 COP 3.0M

65.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,097 SEK 10.2K

$724 COP 2.6M

51.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,366 SEK 40.7K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

56.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,010 SEK 28.1K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

148.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.53

13.43

-66.27%

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

Last update for Ostersund: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $831 in Ostersund versus $476 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Ostersund versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $385 vs $188 – 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

Ostersund vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ostersund is pricier by about 78%, 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 $2,703 per month in Ostersund and $1,519 in Medellin. 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 $73.0 in Ostersund and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,802 in Ostersund and $1,013 in Medellin. 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 $1,013, than in Ostersund at $1,802. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ostersund 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, Ostersund makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.