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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,859 per month in Ostersund vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,859 per month in Ostersund vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,860 per month in Ostersund vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Ostersund costs about 80% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ostersund sits 39% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.60 SEK 131

$6.16 COP 20.1K

120.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.0 SEK 705

$32.60 COP 106.1K

123.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.34 SEK 100.0

$7.34 COP 23.9K

40.87%

Cappuccino

$4.74 SEK 45.81

$1.72 COP 5,600

175.58%

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

$2.81 SEK 27.17

$1.05 COP 3,420

167.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 SEK 24.17

$0.77 COP 2,515

224.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.88 SEK 76.2

$1.69 COP 5,488

366.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.80 SEK 75.4

$3.17 COP 10.3K

146.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 SEK 14.43

$1.05 COP 3,423

41.90%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 SEK 29.11

$1.30 COP 4,236

131.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.99 SEK 48.24

$1.40 COP 4,544

256.43%

Eggs

$3.43 SEK 33.18

$2.16 COP 7,047

58.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.39 SEK 139

$4.39 COP 14.3K

227.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.77 SEK 114

$5.88 COP 19.1K

100.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.76 SEK 152

$8.64 COP 28.1K

82.41%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 SEK 44.13

$2.28 COP 7,426

100.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.97 SEK 28.71

$1.11 COP 3,604

167.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.67 SEK 35.48

$1.53 COP 4,983

139.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 SEK 39.84

$1.35 COP 4,410

205.19%

Potato (1kg)

$3.77 SEK 36.41

$1.13 COP 3,674

233.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 SEK 17.61

$1.13 COP 3,692

61.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 SEK 24.48

$0.85 COP 2,753

197.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 SEK 15.23

$0.91 COP 2,975

73.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.13 SEK 78.6

$2.34 COP 7,630

247.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.10 SEK 97.6

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-18.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 SEK 18.96

$1.20 COP 3,909

63.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 SEK 18.28

$2.49 COP 8,104

-24.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.29 SEK 31.76

$0.84 COP 2,728

291.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.3 SEK 718

$40.57 COP 132.1K

83.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 SEK 60.1

$1.42 COP 4,623

338.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 SEK 15.41

$1.92 COP 6,235

-17.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.0 SEK 609

$7.66 COP 24.9K

722.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 SEK 19.39

$0.99 COP 3,223

103.03%

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

$32.3K SEK 312.0K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

78.99%

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

$33.7K SEK 325.4K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

26.44%

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

$115 SEK 1,114

$80.8 COP 263.1K

42.57%

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

$28.32 SEK 274

$9.95 COP 32.4K

184.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.23 SEK 350

$24.18 COP 78.7K

49.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.03 SEK 387

$25.08 COP 81.7K

59.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.78 SEK 249

$19.15 COP 62.3K

34.62%

Cinema Ticket

$15.71 SEK 152

$3.98 COP 13.0K

294.72%

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

$129 SEK 1,248

$305 COP 993.5K

-57.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,166 SEK 40.3K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-31.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.0 SEK 908

$58.1 COP 189.2K

61.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.25 SEK 389

$32.20 COP 104.8K

25.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.3 SEK 950

$101 COP 327.9K

-2.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$150 SEK 1,452

$108 COP 350.8K

39.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$840 SEK 8,116

$477 COP 1.6M

76.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$645 SEK 6,233

$376 COP 1.2M

71.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,387 SEK 13.4K

$845 COP 2.7M

64.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,064 SEK 10.3K

$730 COP 2.4M

45.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,780 SEK 36.5K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

17.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,856 SEK 27.6K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

108.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $840 in Ostersund versus $477 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: $382 vs $193 – 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 80%, 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 $2,788 per month in Ostersund and $1,546 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 $1,859 in Ostersund and $1,031 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 $1,031, than in Ostersund at $1,859. 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.