Cost of Living Comparison Between Solna and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Solna and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,773 per month in Solna vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,691 per month in Solna vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,610 per month in Solna vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Solna costs about 75% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Solna sits 32% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.78 SEK 138

$5.99 COP 21.4K

146.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.1 SEK 523

$32.86 COP 117.4K

70.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 SEK 97.2

$7.09 COP 25.3K

46.97%

Cappuccino

$5.02 SEK 46.87

$1.71 COP 6,115

193.57%

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

$3.19 SEK 29.81

$1.10 COP 3,924

190.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 SEK 14.10

$0.78 COP 2,781

93.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.63 SEK 71.2

$1.68 COP 5,997

354.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 SEK 75.8

$3.07 COP 11.0K

164.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 SEK 14.53

$1.09 COP 3,906

43.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 SEK 24.91

$1.26 COP 4,508

111.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.78 SEK 35.24

$1.38 COP 4,922

173.91%

Eggs

$3.92 SEK 36.60

$2.19 COP 7,827

79.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.56 SEK 89.2

$4.40 COP 15.7K

117.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.28 SEK 115

$5.63 COP 20.1K

118.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.88 SEK 139

$8.89 COP 31.8K

67.38%

Apples (1kg)

$1.66 SEK 15.45

$2.34 COP 8,349

-29.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 SEK 20.13

$1.06 COP 3,777

103.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 SEK 24.28

$1.50 COP 5,374

73.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.19 SEK 29.74

$1.38 COP 4,924

131.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 SEK 14.43

$1.15 COP 4,111

34.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 SEK 19.02

$1.16 COP 4,155

75.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 SEK 21.90

$0.89 COP 3,182

164.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 SEK 10.38

$0.84 COP 2,997

32.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.55 SEK 70.4

$2.28 COP 8,145

231.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.78 SEK 138

$10.64 COP 38.0K

38.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 SEK 13.07

$1.20 COP 4,284

16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 SEK 8.48

$2.47 COP 8,824

-63.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.54 SEK 42.40

$0.86 COP 3,056

427.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 SEK 936

$41.40 COP 147.9K

142.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.78 SEK 35.23

$1.47 COP 5,264

157.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 SEK 14.74

$1.96 COP 7,009

-19.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.5 SEK 798

$7.74 COP 27.6K

1004.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 SEK 18.26

$0.95 COP 3,409

106.32%

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

$27.2K SEK 253.7K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

49.94%

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

$30.1K SEK 281.2K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

13.77%

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

$109 SEK 1,014

$82.3 COP 293.7K

32.18%

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

$28.80 SEK 269

$9.50 COP 33.9K

203.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.35 SEK 386

$24.23 COP 86.5K

70.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.03 SEK 439

$25.89 COP 92.4K

81.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.68 SEK 240

$19.00 COP 67.9K

35.16%

Cinema Ticket

$15.01 SEK 140

$3.93 COP 14.0K

281.93%

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

$157 SEK 1,467

$309 COP 1.1M

-49.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,218 SEK 39.4K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-29.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.5 SEK 873

$58.7 COP 209.5K

59.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.46 SEK 396

$32.35 COP 115.5K

31.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.7 SEK 874

$103 COP 366.4K

-8.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.5 SEK 490

$108 COP 387.2K

-51.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$840 SEK 7,841

$476 COP 1.7M

76.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$657 SEK 6,130

$379 COP 1.4M

73.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,416 SEK 13.2K

$838 COP 3.0M

68.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 SEK 10.2K

$724 COP 2.6M

50.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,167 SEK 66.9K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

156.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,298 SEK 49.4K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

337.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,958 SEK 36.9K

$512 COP 1.8M

673.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

13.43

-64.26%

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

Last update for Solna: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $840 in Solna 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.

Salaries run about 673% higher in Solna, 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 $56.0 in Solna versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $325 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

Solna vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Solna is pricier by about 75%, 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 $2,659 per month in Solna 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 $56.0 in Solna 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 $1,773 in Solna 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 Solna at $1,773. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Solna 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, Solna makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.