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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,695 per month in Umea vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,667 per month in Umea vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,639 per month in Umea vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Umea costs about 64% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Umea sits 27% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.05 SEK 155

$6.16 COP 20.0K

160.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.3 SEK 803

$32.60 COP 106.0K

155.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 SEK 113

$7.34 COP 23.9K

60.08%

Cappuccino

$4.12 SEK 39.68

$1.72 COP 5,592

139.53%

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

$3.39 SEK 32.70

$1.05 COP 3,416

222.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 SEK 24.97

$0.77 COP 2,511

236.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.11 SEK 87.8

$1.69 COP 5,480

439.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.43 SEK 71.6

$3.17 COP 10.3K

134.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 SEK 16.66

$1.05 COP 3,418

64.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.49 SEK 33.61

$1.30 COP 4,230

168.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.24 SEK 40.86

$1.40 COP 4,538

202.86%

Eggs

$4.32 SEK 41.61

$2.16 COP 7,037

100.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.50 SEK 111

$4.39 COP 14.3K

161.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.99 SEK 106

$5.88 COP 19.1K

86.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.49 SEK 178

$8.64 COP 28.1K

114.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 SEK 27.18

$2.28 COP 7,415

23.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.32 SEK 22.35

$1.11 COP 3,599

109.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 SEK 28.77

$1.53 COP 4,976

95.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.48 SEK 43.21

$1.35 COP 4,405

231.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.72 SEK 16.55

$1.13 COP 3,669

52.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.84 SEK 17.74

$1.13 COP 3,687

62.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 SEK 25.21

$0.85 COP 2,749

208.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 SEK 14.43

$0.91 COP 2,971

64.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.83 SEK 65.8

$2.34 COP 7,619

191.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.94 SEK 105

$12.37 COP 40.2K

-11.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 SEK 15.99

$1.20 COP 3,904

38.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SEK 20.28

$2.49 COP 8,094

-15.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.02 SEK 29.11

$0.84 COP 2,724

259.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.1 SEK 579

$40.57 COP 131.9K

48.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 SEK 50.5

$1.42 COP 4,617

269.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 SEK 16.00

$1.92 COP 6,227

-13.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$46.83 SEK 451

$7.66 COP 24.9K

511.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 SEK 18.39

$0.99 COP 3,219

92.93%

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

$32.2K SEK 310.7K

$18.0K COP 58.6M

78.83%

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

$34.9K SEK 336.4K

$26.6K COP 86.6M

31.11%

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

$69.4 SEK 668

$80.8 COP 262.7K

-14.18%

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

$34.68 SEK 334

$9.95 COP 32.3K

248.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.86 SEK 259

$24.18 COP 78.6K

11.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 SEK 490

$25.08 COP 81.5K

102.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.23 SEK 378

$19.15 COP 62.3K

104.86%

Cinema Ticket

$16.00 SEK 154

$3.98 COP 13.0K

302.01%

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

$147 SEK 1,417

$305 COP 992.2K

-51.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,186 SEK 40.3K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-30.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 SEK 978

$58.1 COP 189.0K

74.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.55 SEK 371

$32.20 COP 104.7K

19.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 SEK 1,213

$101 COP 327.5K

25.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 SEK 1,318

$108 COP 350.3K

26.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$803 SEK 7,733

$477 COP 1.5M

68.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$543 SEK 5,233

$376 COP 1.2M

44.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,183 SEK 11.4K

$845 COP 2.7M

40.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$899 SEK 8,660

$730 COP 2.4M

23.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,763 SEK 45.9K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

48.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,146 SEK 30.3K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

129.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,703 SEK 26.1K

$617 COP 2.0M

338.31%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $803 in Umea 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 338% 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 $83.0 in Umea versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $365 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

Umea vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Umea is pricier by about 64%, 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 $2,542 per month in Umea 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 $83.0 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 $1,695 in Umea 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 Umea at $1,695. 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.