Cost of Living Comparison Between Umea and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Umea and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,694 per month in Umea vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,666 per month in Umea vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,638 per month in Umea vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Umea costs about 67% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Umea sits 26% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.05 SEK 150

$5.99 COP 21.4K

167.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.4 SEK 796

$32.86 COP 117.4K

159.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 SEK 106

$7.09 COP 25.3K

60.93%

Cappuccino

$4.29 SEK 40.00

$1.71 COP 6,115

150.88%

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

$3.39 SEK 31.65

$1.10 COP 3,924

208.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 SEK 23.45

$0.78 COP 2,781

221.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.11 SEK 85.0

$1.68 COP 5,997

442.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.55 SEK 70.4

$3.07 COP 11.0K

145.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SEK 15.80

$1.09 COP 3,906

55.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.58 SEK 33.37

$1.26 COP 4,508

184.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 SEK 40.31

$1.38 COP 4,922

213.04%

Eggs

$4.29 SEK 40.00

$2.19 COP 7,827

95.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.93 SEK 111

$4.40 COP 15.7K

171.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.05 SEK 103

$5.63 COP 20.1K

96.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.30 SEK 171

$8.89 COP 31.8K

105.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 SEK 26.48

$2.34 COP 8,349

21.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 SEK 22.30

$1.06 COP 3,777

125.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.84 SEK 26.47

$1.50 COP 5,374

89.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.44 SEK 41.41

$1.38 COP 4,924

221.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 SEK 15.65

$1.15 COP 4,111

46.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 SEK 16.96

$1.16 COP 4,155

56.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 SEK 24.40

$0.89 COP 3,182

194.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 SEK 13.78

$0.84 COP 2,997

76.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.70 SEK 62.5

$2.28 COP 8,145

193.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.34 SEK 106

$10.64 COP 38.0K

6.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 SEK 15.46

$1.20 COP 4,284

38.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 SEK 20.76

$2.47 COP 8,824

-10.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.14 SEK 29.31

$0.86 COP 3,056

265.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.1 SEK 552

$41.40 COP 147.9K

42.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.22 SEK 48.74

$1.47 COP 5,264

255.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 SEK 14.97

$1.96 COP 7,009

-18.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$47.06 SEK 439

$7.74 COP 27.6K

508.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 SEK 18.18

$0.95 COP 3,409

105.26%

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

$32.7K SEK 305.4K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

80.51%

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

$35.2K SEK 328.7K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

33.00%

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

$67.8 SEK 632

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-17.59%

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

$34.49 SEK 322

$9.50 COP 33.9K

263.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.30 SEK 255

$24.23 COP 86.5K

12.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.7 SEK 483

$25.89 COP 92.4K

99.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.59 SEK 360

$19.00 COP 67.9K

103.11%

Cinema Ticket

$15.92 SEK 149

$3.93 COP 14.0K

305.09%

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

$149 SEK 1,388

$309 COP 1.1M

-51.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,094 SEK 38.2K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-31.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.1 SEK 925

$58.7 COP 209.5K

68.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.23 SEK 357

$32.35 COP 115.5K

18.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 SEK 1,171

$103 COP 366.4K

22.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 SEK 1,267

$108 COP 387.2K

25.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$793 SEK 7,395

$476 COP 1.7M

66.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$530 SEK 4,942

$379 COP 1.4M

39.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 SEK 11.1K

$838 COP 3.0M

42.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$895 SEK 8,347

$724 COP 2.6M

23.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,972 SEK 46.4K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

78.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,309 SEK 30.9K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

173.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,875 SEK 26.8K

$512 COP 1.8M

461.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.53

13.43

-66.27%

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

Last update for Umea: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $793 in Umea 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 462% higher in Umea, 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 $85.0 in Umea versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $367 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

Umea vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Umea is pricier by about 67%, 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 $2,541 per month in Umea 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 $85.0 in Umea 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 $1,694 in Umea 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 Umea at $1,694. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Umea 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, Umea makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.