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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,505 per month in Stockholm vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,800 per month in Stockholm vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,096 per month in Stockholm vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Stockholm costs about 147% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Stockholm sits 87% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.12 SEK 150

$5.99 COP 21.4K

169.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$112 SEK 1,045

$32.86 COP 117.4K

240.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 SEK 108

$7.09 COP 25.3K

63.33%

Cappuccino

$5.08 SEK 47.40

$1.71 COP 6,115

197.08%

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

$3.30 SEK 30.79

$1.10 COP 3,924

200.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 SEK 23.35

$0.78 COP 2,781

220.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.67 SEK 80.9

$1.68 COP 5,997

416.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.30 SEK 77.5

$3.07 COP 11.0K

170.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 SEK 16.03

$1.09 COP 3,906

57.80%

White Bread (500g)

$3.46 SEK 32.29

$1.26 COP 4,508

174.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.99 SEK 37.28

$1.38 COP 4,922

189.13%

Eggs

$4.72 SEK 44.00

$2.19 COP 7,827

115.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.03 SEK 122

$4.40 COP 15.7K

196.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.91 SEK 120

$5.63 COP 20.1K

129.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.56 SEK 183

$8.89 COP 31.8K

120.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 SEK 33.73

$2.34 COP 8,349

54.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 SEK 26.37

$1.06 COP 3,777

166.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 SEK 31.62

$1.50 COP 5,374

126.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.60 SEK 42.88

$1.38 COP 4,924

233.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 SEK 17.70

$1.15 COP 4,111

65.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 SEK 17.54

$1.16 COP 4,155

62.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 SEK 24.27

$0.89 COP 3,182

192.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 SEK 14.98

$0.84 COP 2,997

91.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.82 SEK 73.0

$2.28 COP 8,145

242.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 SEK 120

$10.64 COP 38.0K

20.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 SEK 20.15

$1.20 COP 4,284

80.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 SEK 20.95

$2.47 COP 8,824

-9.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.57 SEK 42.60

$0.86 COP 3,056

431.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 SEK 1,028

$41.40 COP 147.9K

166.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.27 SEK 58.5

$1.47 COP 5,264

326.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 SEK 14.67

$1.96 COP 7,009

-19.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.5 SEK 583

$7.74 COP 27.6K

707.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 SEK 16.98

$0.95 COP 3,409

91.58%

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

$33.0K SEK 307.6K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

81.81%

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

$35.4K SEK 330.5K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

33.71%

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

$229 SEK 2,133

$82.3 COP 293.7K

177.98%

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

$28.82 SEK 269

$9.50 COP 33.9K

203.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.69 SEK 389

$24.23 COP 86.5K

72.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.58 SEK 435

$25.89 COP 92.4K

79.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.46 SEK 359

$19.00 COP 67.9K

102.42%

Cinema Ticket

$17.65 SEK 165

$3.93 COP 14.0K

349.11%

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

$165 SEK 1,541

$309 COP 1.1M

-46.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,662 SEK 62.2K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

11.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.4 SEK 909

$58.7 COP 209.5K

66.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.44 SEK 461

$32.35 COP 115.5K

52.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 SEK 1,090

$103 COP 366.4K

13.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$204 SEK 1,907

$108 COP 387.2K

88.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 SEK 14.8K

$476 COP 1.7M

233.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 SEK 10.3K

$379 COP 1.4M

192.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,769 SEK 25.8K

$838 COP 3.0M

230.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,805 SEK 16.8K

$724 COP 2.6M

149.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.2K SEK 114.3K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

338.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,689 SEK 62.4K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

452.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,779 SEK 35.3K

$512 COP 1.8M

638.43%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,589 in Stockholm 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 638% 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 $112 in Stockholm versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $401 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

Stockholm vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Stockholm is pricier by about 147%, 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 $3,758 per month in Stockholm 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 $112 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 $2,505 in Stockholm 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 Stockholm at $2,505. 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.