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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,732 per month in Stockholm vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,130 per month in Stockholm vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,527 per month in Stockholm vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Stockholm costs about 59% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Stockholm and Medellin sit above the global median – Stockholm by 99%, Medellin by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.42 SEK 177

$8.03 COP 25.3K

129.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 SEK 988

$48.26 COP 152.0K

112.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.43 SEK 110

$9.77 COP 30.8K

16.99%

Cappuccino

$5.35 SEK 51.5

$2.91 COP 9,167

83.85%

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

$3.89 SEK 37.43

$1.94 COP 6,122

100.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 SEK 30.85

$1.52 COP 4,792

110.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.46 SEK 81.5

$3.09 COP 9,740

173.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.19 SEK 88.5

$5.74 COP 18.1K

60.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 SEK 16.80

$1.36 COP 4,296

27.94%

White Bread (500g)

$4.17 SEK 40.14

$2.39 COP 7,519

74.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.09 SEK 39.39

$1.70 COP 5,356

140.59%

Eggs

$5.19 SEK 49.96

$2.87 COP 9,038

80.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.23 SEK 127

$9.94 COP 31.3K

33.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.55 SEK 131

$10.78 COP 34.0K

25.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.30 SEK 215

$14.73 COP 46.4K

51.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 SEK 34.19

$4.09 COP 12.9K

-13.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.97 SEK 28.63

$1.57 COP 4,950

89.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.17 SEK 30.57

$2.13 COP 6,695

48.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.70 SEK 45.23

$2.21 COP 6,972

112.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 SEK 17.97

$2.05 COP 6,447

-8.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 SEK 17.37

$1.50 COP 4,737

20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 SEK 23.95

$1.19 COP 3,747

109.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 SEK 23.95

$1.16 COP 3,647

114.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.10 SEK 87.7

$3.90 COP 12.3K

133.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.67 SEK 122

$14.44 COP 45.5K

-12.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 SEK 20.66

$1.58 COP 4,987

35.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 SEK 24.64

$2.83 COP 8,905

-9.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.61 SEK 44.44

$1.17 COP 3,679

294.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 SEK 1,085

$77.7 COP 244.8K

44.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.20 SEK 59.7

$1.28 COP 4,045

384.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 SEK 14.74

$2.09 COP 6,589

-26.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$59.2 SEK 570

$8.62 COP 27.1K

586.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 SEK 17.55

$1.30 COP 4,088

40.00%

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

$34.5K SEK 332.1K

$27.7K COP 87.1M

24.68%

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

$35.1K SEK 338.3K

$35.5K COP 111.8M

-1.07%

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

$281 SEK 2,709

$176 COP 554.5K

59.73%

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

$22.69 SEK 218

$13.37 COP 42.1K

69.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.70 SEK 392

$29.89 COP 94.1K

36.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.06 SEK 463

$44.76 COP 141.0K

7.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.41 SEK 399

$17.06 COP 53.7K

142.73%

Cinema Ticket

$19.78 SEK 191

$6.20 COP 19.5K

219.03%

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

$172 SEK 1,658

$793 COP 2.5M

-78.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K SEK 162.2K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

86.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$120 SEK 1,157

$85.6 COP 269.6K

40.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.8 SEK 557

$58.5 COP 184.1K

-1.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$142 SEK 1,365

$136 COP 429.3K

4.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$203 SEK 1,952

$103 COP 324.7K

96.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,787 SEK 17.2K

$1,060 COP 3.3M

68.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,096 SEK 10.6K

$680 COP 2.1M

61.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,323 SEK 32.0K

$2,012 COP 6.3M

65.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,859 SEK 17.9K

$1,169 COP 3.7M

59.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.7K SEK 113.0K

$4,111 COP 12.9M

185.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,611 SEK 63.7K

$1,701 COP 5.4M

288.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,662 SEK 35.3K

$665 COP 2.1M

450.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.31

10.94

-69.74%

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

Last update for Stockholm: August 29, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,787 in Stockholm versus $1,060 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 451% 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 $103 in Stockholm versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $433 vs $303 – 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 59%, 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 $4,098 per month in Stockholm and $2,574 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 $103 in Stockholm and $48.00 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 $2,732 in Stockholm and $1,716 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 $1,716, than in Stockholm at $2,732. 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.