Cost of Living Comparison Between Tumba and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Tumba and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,844 per month in Tumba vs $1,030 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,898 per month in Tumba vs $1,586 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,953 per month in Tumba vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Tumba costs about 79% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tumba sits 38% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tumba
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.96 SEK 138
$5.92 COP 21.2K
152.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.4 SEK 620
$33.17 COP 118.7K
103.08%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.48 SEK 96.4
$7.25 COP 25.9K
44.55%
Cappuccino
$4.60 SEK 42.31
$1.71 COP 6,137
169.01%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73 SEK 25.10
$1.09 COP 3,915
150.46%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.46 SEK 22.63
$0.77 COP 2,743
219.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.58 SEK 69.7
$1.75 COP 6,254
333.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.54 SEK 69.4
$3.18 COP 11.4K
137.11%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tumba
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.81 SEK 16.62
$1.06 COP 3,792
70.75%
White Bread (500g)
$3.05 SEK 28.08
$1.30 COP 4,657
134.62%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.90 SEK 35.91
$1.38 COP 4,926
182.61%
Eggs
$3.94 SEK 36.27
$2.21 COP 7,908
78.28%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.00 SEK 120
$4.52 COP 16.2K
187.61%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.31 SEK 122
$5.80 COP 20.7K
129.48%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.69 SEK 144
$8.97 COP 32.1K
74.92%
Apples (1kg)
$3.61 SEK 33.22
$2.29 COP 8,182
57.64%
Banana (1kg)
$2.69 SEK 24.72
$1.06 COP 3,791
153.77%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.56 SEK 14.35
$1.51 COP 5,411
3.31%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.43 SEK 40.80
$1.36 COP 4,869
225.74%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 SEK 13.92
$1.16 COP 4,146
30.17%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 SEK 17.41
$1.17 COP 4,174
61.54%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.52 SEK 23.18
$0.83 COP 2,960
203.61%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.62 SEK 14.93
$0.85 COP 3,043
90.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.19 SEK 66.2
$2.35 COP 8,423
205.96%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.12 SEK 121
$11.09 COP 39.7K
18.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71 SEK 15.75
$1.15 COP 4,133
48.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.89 SEK 17.35
$2.47 COP 8,853
-23.48%
🚌 Getting Around
Tumba
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.32 SEK 39.70
$0.79 COP 2,827
446.84%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$109 SEK 998
$41.85 COP 149.8K
159.26%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.29 SEK 57.9
$1.44 COP 5,140
336.81%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.19 SEK 10.98
$1.90 COP 6,793
-37.37%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$20.85 SEK 192
$7.70 COP 27.6K
170.78%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.01 SEK 18.49
$1.03 COP 3,680
95.15%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.1K SEK 304.6K
$17.7K COP 63.3M
87.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.6K SEK 317.9K
$27.0K COP 96.7M
27.91%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tumba
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$90.1 SEK 829
$81.4 COP 291.4K
10.69%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.94 SEK 266
$9.42 COP 33.7K
207.22%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.50 SEK 391
$23.77 COP 85.1K
78.80%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tumba
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.63 SEK 392
$25.86 COP 92.6K
64.85%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.32 SEK 233
$19.34 COP 69.2K
30.92%
Cinema Ticket
$16.43 SEK 151
$4.05 COP 14.5K
305.68%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tumba
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$144 SEK 1,329
$312 COP 1.1M
-53.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,106 SEK 37.8K
$6,067 COP 21.7M
-32.31%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tumba
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$106 SEK 971
$58.9 COP 210.7K
79.24%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.88 SEK 395
$32.82 COP 117.5K
30.65%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$117 SEK 1,080
$100 COP 359.6K
16.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$153 SEK 1,406
$106 COP 380.3K
43.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tumba
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$826 SEK 7,596
$490 COP 1.8M
68.64%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$659 SEK 6,063
$371 COP 1.3M
77.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,421 SEK 13.1K
$838 COP 3.0M
69.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,095 SEK 10.1K
$715 COP 2.6M
53.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,180 SEK 38.5K
$2,952 COP 10.6M
41.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,901 SEK 26.7K
$1,394 COP 5.0M
108.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tumba
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$532 COP 1.9M
-
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 Tumba: April 21, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $826 in Tumba versus $490 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67 in Tumba versus $33 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $372 vs $190 – 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
Tumba vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Tumba?
Yes – Tumba is pricier by about 79%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,766 per month in Tumba and $1,544 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Is eating out cheaper in Tumba or Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Tumba and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Tumba vs Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,844 in Tumba and $1,030 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Tumba or Medellin?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,030, than in Tumba at $1,844. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tumba it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Tumba or Medellin more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Tumba or Medellin?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tumba makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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