Cost of Living Comparison Between Skovde and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Skovde and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,859 per month in Skovde vs $1,687 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,924 per month in Skovde vs $2,535 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,989 per month in Skovde vs $3,383 in Medellin, rent included.

Skovde costs about 10% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Skovde and Medellin sit above the global median – Skovde by 36%, Medellin by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.57 SEK 129

$7.89 COP 24.2K

71.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.6 SEK 792

$44.53 COP 136.5K

87.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 SEK 97.8

$9.29 COP 28.5K

11.09%

Cappuccino

$4.35 SEK 41.26

$2.90 COP 8,874

50.00%

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

$3.29 SEK 31.21

$1.81 COP 5,541

81.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 SEK 23.48

$1.55 COP 4,741

60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 SEK 77.8

$3.25 COP 9,962

152.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.32 SEK 97.8

$5.88 COP 18.0K

75.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 SEK 13.77

$1.38 COP 4,230

5.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.94 SEK 27.86

$2.45 COP 7,517

20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.12 SEK 39.07

$1.51 COP 4,617

172.85%

Eggs

$3.86 SEK 36.58

$2.78 COP 8,516

38.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.65 SEK 101

$9.05 COP 27.7K

17.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.73 SEK 130

$10.65 COP 32.6K

28.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.51 SEK 175

$14.63 COP 44.8K

26.52%

Apples (1kg)

$4.27 SEK 40.48

$3.97 COP 12.2K

7.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 SEK 27.24

$1.38 COP 4,219

107.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.82 SEK 36.17

$2.30 COP 7,056

66.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.67 SEK 53.8

$2.02 COP 6,185

180.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 SEK 15.26

$2.09 COP 6,390

-22.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 SEK 16.98

$1.63 COP 4,996

9.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.81 SEK 26.65

$1.08 COP 3,313

160.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 SEK 12.69

$1.25 COP 3,843

7.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.03 SEK 76.1

$4.03 COP 12.4K

99.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.54 SEK 80.9

$13.47 COP 41.3K

-36.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 SEK 23.95

$1.60 COP 4,904

58.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 SEK 25.12

$3.00 COP 9,189

-11.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.78 SEK 35.81

$1.18 COP 3,611

220.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.8 SEK 822

$79.9 COP 244.9K

8.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.55 SEK 52.5

$1.61 COP 4,920

244.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 SEK 13.26

$2.13 COP 6,533

-34.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.6 SEK 622

$8.52 COP 26.1K

670.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.78 SEK 16.91

$1.35 COP 4,142

31.85%

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

$34.1K SEK 323.2K

$28.3K COP 86.8M

20.43%

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

$34.9K SEK 330.7K

$35.7K COP 109.4M

-2.22%

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

$118 SEK 1,118

$151 COP 463.8K

-22.07%

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

$11.57 SEK 110

$13.10 COP 40.1K

-11.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.13 SEK 428

$32.30 COP 99.0K

39.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.05 SEK 370

$46.33 COP 141.9K

-15.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.97 SEK 256

$17.26 COP 52.9K

56.26%

Cinema Ticket

$20.40 SEK 193

$6.43 COP 19.7K

217.26%

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

$131 SEK 1,237

$835 COP 2.6M

-84.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,288 SEK 50.1K

$8,887 COP 27.2M

-40.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.2 SEK 921

$89.3 COP 273.7K

8.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.40 SEK 298

$55.3 COP 169.5K

-43.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.9 SEK 596

$137 COP 418.5K

-53.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$213 SEK 2,018

$109 COP 335.1K

94.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$848 SEK 8,039

$952 COP 2.9M

-10.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$609 SEK 5,774

$668 COP 2.0M

-8.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,424 SEK 13.5K

$2,020 COP 6.2M

-29.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,057 SEK 10.0K

$1,148 COP 3.5M

-7.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,290 SEK 40.6K

$3,696 COP 11.3M

16.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,951 SEK 28.0K

$1,586 COP 4.9M

86.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,521 SEK 33.4K

$625 COP 1.9M

463.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

-71.24%

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

Last update for Skovde: August 18, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $848 in Skovde versus $952 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 463% higher in Skovde, 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 $84.0 in Skovde versus $45.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $385 vs $297 – 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

Skovde vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Skovde is pricier by about 10%, 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 $2,788 per month in Skovde and $2,530 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 $84.0 in Skovde and $45.00 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 Skovde and $1,687 in Medellin. 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 $1,687, than in Skovde at $1,859. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Skovde 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, Skovde makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.