Cost of Living Comparison Between Sala and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Sala and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,491 per month in Sala vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,247 per month in Sala vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,003 per month in Sala vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Sala costs about 47% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Sala sits 11% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.55 SEK 118

$5.95 COP 20.8K

110.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 SEK 590

$33.33 COP 116.3K

88.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.48 SEK 98.4

$7.23 COP 25.2K

44.95%

Cappuccino

$3.20 SEK 29.99

$1.63 COP 5,687

96.32%

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

$1.81 SEK 17.00

$1.09 COP 3,821

66.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 SEK 22.50

$0.73 COP 2,548

228.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.53 SEK 70.6

$1.74 COP 6,065

332.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.57 SEK 71.0

$3.23 COP 11.3K

134.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 SEK 17.26

$1.05 COP 3,662

75.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 SEK 25.26

$1.29 COP 4,515

108.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 SEK 35.07

$1.32 COP 4,617

183.33%

Eggs

$4.04 SEK 37.93

$2.27 COP 7,927

77.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.78 SEK 111

$4.35 COP 15.2K

170.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.64 SEK 109

$5.88 COP 20.5K

97.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.84 SEK 149

$8.61 COP 30.0K

83.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 SEK 29.59

$2.25 COP 7,844

40.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 SEK 25.35

$1.07 COP 3,733

152.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.82 SEK 26.43

$1.52 COP 5,322

85.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.04 SEK 47.26

$1.42 COP 4,964

254.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 SEK 14.57

$1.17 COP 4,084

32.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 SEK 11.15

$1.17 COP 4,077

1.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.71 SEK 25.46

$0.89 COP 3,096

204.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 SEK 9.73

$0.90 COP 3,146

15.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.54 SEK 70.7

$2.25 COP 7,837

235.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.41 SEK 60.2

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-41.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 SEK 23.45

$1.14 COP 3,977

119.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 SEK 18.14

$2.38 COP 8,301

-18.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.15 SEK 29.51

$0.84 COP 2,916

275.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.82 SEK 205

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-47.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.30 SEK 59.1

$1.41 COP 4,912

346.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 SEK 14.84

$1.90 COP 6,634

-16.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.87 SEK 196

$7.75 COP 27.0K

169.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.00 SEK 18.78

$1.01 COP 3,509

98.02%

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

$42.2K SEK 395.7K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

139.96%

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

$34.2K SEK 321.0K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

29.17%

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

$88.8 SEK 833

$83.7 COP 292.1K

6.09%

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

$20.84 SEK 196

$9.45 COP 33.0K

120.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.20 SEK 349

$24.11 COP 84.1K

54.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.92 SEK 450

$25.31 COP 88.3K

89.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.95 SEK 197

$19.14 COP 66.8K

9.46%

Cinema Ticket

$19.22 SEK 180

$4.10 COP 14.3K

368.78%

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

$146 SEK 1,373

$312 COP 1.1M

-53.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,254 SEK 11.8K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-79.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.54 SEK 437

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-19.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.23 SEK 349

$32.56 COP 113.6K

14.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.8 SEK 514

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-44.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.4 SEK 538

$109 COP 378.8K

-47.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$774 SEK 7,256

$482 COP 1.7M

60.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$545 SEK 5,113

$379 COP 1.3M

43.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$965 SEK 9,049

$837 COP 2.9M

15.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$726 SEK 6,811

$723 COP 2.5M

0.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 SEK 37.5K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

40.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,328 SEK 31.2K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

172.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,569 SEK 24.1K

$541 COP 1.9M

374.99%

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 Sala: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $774 in Sala versus $482 in Medellin. 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 375% higher in Sala, 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 $63.0 in Sala versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $346 vs $190 – 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

Sala vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sala is pricier by about 47%, 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 $2,236 per month in Sala and $1,525 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 $63.0 in Sala 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 $1,491 in Sala and $1,017 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 $1,017, than in Sala at $1,491. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sala 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, Sala makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.