Cost of Living Comparison Between Stockholm and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Stockholm and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,582 per month in Stockholm vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,840 per month in Stockholm vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,098 per month in Stockholm vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Stockholm costs about 150% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Stockholm sits 93% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.09 SEK 155

$6.16 COP 20.0K

161.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 SEK 1,062

$32.60 COP 106.0K

238.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.68 SEK 113

$7.34 COP 23.9K

59.13%

Cappuccino

$5.20 SEK 50.1

$1.72 COP 5,592

202.33%

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

$3.28 SEK 31.64

$1.05 COP 3,416

212.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 SEK 23.78

$0.77 COP 2,511

220.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.51 SEK 82.0

$1.69 COP 5,480

403.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.31 SEK 80.1

$3.17 COP 10.3K

162.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 SEK 17.33

$1.05 COP 3,418

71.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.41 SEK 32.84

$1.30 COP 4,230

162.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.07 SEK 39.19

$1.40 COP 4,538

190.71%

Eggs

$4.70 SEK 45.33

$2.16 COP 7,037

117.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.77 SEK 123

$4.39 COP 14.3K

190.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.23 SEK 127

$5.88 COP 19.1K

125.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.40 SEK 187

$8.64 COP 28.1K

124.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 SEK 34.66

$2.28 COP 7,415

57.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 SEK 27.93

$1.11 COP 3,599

161.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 SEK 32.54

$1.53 COP 4,976

120.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.59 SEK 44.21

$1.35 COP 4,405

240.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 SEK 18.92

$1.13 COP 3,669

73.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 SEK 18.17

$1.13 COP 3,687

67.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 SEK 24.24

$0.85 COP 2,749

196.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 SEK 15.55

$0.91 COP 2,971

76.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.06 SEK 77.7

$2.34 COP 7,619

244.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.53 SEK 121

$12.37 COP 40.2K

1.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 SEK 21.08

$1.20 COP 3,904

82.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 SEK 22.76

$2.49 COP 8,094

-5.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.55 SEK 43.89

$0.84 COP 2,724

441.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$112 SEK 1,080

$40.57 COP 131.9K

176.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.40 SEK 61.7

$1.42 COP 4,617

350.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 SEK 15.95

$1.92 COP 6,227

-13.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.3 SEK 610

$7.66 COP 24.9K

725.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 SEK 17.92

$0.99 COP 3,219

87.88%

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

$33.0K SEK 318.3K

$18.0K COP 58.6M

83.23%

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

$34.5K SEK 332.9K

$26.6K COP 86.6M

29.73%

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

$227 SEK 2,189

$80.8 COP 262.7K

181.14%

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

$29.59 SEK 285

$9.95 COP 32.3K

197.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.03 SEK 405

$24.18 COP 78.6K

73.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.01 SEK 443

$25.08 COP 81.5K

83.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.09 SEK 367

$19.15 COP 62.3K

98.90%

Cinema Ticket

$17.78 SEK 171

$3.98 COP 13.0K

346.73%

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

$164 SEK 1,582

$305 COP 992.2K

-46.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,573 SEK 63.3K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

8.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.6 SEK 941

$58.1 COP 189.0K

67.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.76 SEK 480

$32.20 COP 104.7K

54.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 SEK 1,159

$101 COP 327.5K

19.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$202 SEK 1,945

$108 COP 350.3K

87.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,566 SEK 15.1K

$477 COP 1.5M

228.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 SEK 10.5K

$376 COP 1.2M

188.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,754 SEK 26.5K

$845 COP 2.7M

226.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,801 SEK 17.4K

$730 COP 2.4M

146.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.8K SEK 113.3K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

265.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,496 SEK 62.6K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

373.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,643 SEK 35.1K

$617 COP 2.0M

490.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

13.43

-69.02%

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

Last update for Stockholm: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,566 in Stockholm 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.

Salaries run about 491% higher in Stockholm, 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 $110 in Stockholm versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $401 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

Stockholm vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Stockholm is pricier by about 150%, 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 $3,873 per month in Stockholm 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 $110 in Stockholm 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 $2,582 in Stockholm 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 Stockholm at $2,582. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stockholm 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, Stockholm makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.