Cost of Living Comparison Between Uppsala and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Uppsala and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,972 per month in Uppsala vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,967 per month in Uppsala vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,962 per month in Uppsala vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Uppsala costs about 91% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Uppsala sits 48% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.00 SEK 155

$6.16 COP 20.1K

159.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 SEK 665

$32.60 COP 106.1K

110.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.72 SEK 113

$7.34 COP 23.9K

59.67%

Cappuccino

$4.89 SEK 47.37

$1.72 COP 5,599

184.30%

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

$2.68 SEK 25.91

$1.05 COP 3,420

155.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 SEK 21.87

$0.77 COP 2,515

193.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.31 SEK 80.5

$1.69 COP 5,487

391.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.53 SEK 82.6

$3.17 COP 10.3K

169.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SEK 15.81

$1.05 COP 3,423

55.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 SEK 27.97

$1.30 COP 4,236

122.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.67 SEK 45.21

$1.40 COP 4,544

233.57%

Eggs

$5.19 SEK 50.2

$2.16 COP 7,046

140.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.16 SEK 118

$4.39 COP 14.3K

176.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.90 SEK 135

$5.88 COP 19.1K

136.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.40 SEK 168

$8.64 COP 28.1K

101.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.89 SEK 37.69

$2.28 COP 7,425

70.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 SEK 27.40

$1.11 COP 3,603

154.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.61 SEK 34.94

$1.53 COP 4,982

135.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.18 SEK 50.2

$1.35 COP 4,410

283.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 SEK 16.10

$1.13 COP 3,674

46.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 SEK 18.01

$1.13 COP 3,692

64.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.70 SEK 26.17

$0.85 COP 2,753

217.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 SEK 12.73

$0.91 COP 2,975

43.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.15 SEK 78.9

$2.34 COP 7,629

248.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.44 SEK 101

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-15.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 SEK 23.88

$1.20 COP 3,909

105.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 SEK 25.50

$2.49 COP 8,104

5.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.17 SEK 40.38

$0.84 COP 2,727

396.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$108 SEK 1,050

$40.57 COP 132.1K

167.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 SEK 54.6

$1.42 COP 4,623

297.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 SEK 11.60

$1.92 COP 6,235

-37.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$64.2 SEK 621

$7.66 COP 24.9K

737.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 SEK 19.26

$0.99 COP 3,223

101.01%

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

$32.1K SEK 310.4K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

77.82%

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

$33.9K SEK 328.1K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

27.26%

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

$110 SEK 1,063

$80.8 COP 263.1K

35.90%

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

$28.97 SEK 280

$9.95 COP 32.4K

191.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.96 SEK 416

$24.18 COP 78.7K

77.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.06 SEK 378

$25.08 COP 81.6K

55.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.76 SEK 269

$19.15 COP 62.3K

44.96%

Cinema Ticket

$20.37 SEK 197

$3.98 COP 13.0K

411.81%

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

$145 SEK 1,406

$305 COP 993.4K

-52.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,535 SEK 53.6K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-8.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.8 SEK 850

$58.1 COP 189.2K

51.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.63 SEK 403

$32.20 COP 104.8K

29.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 SEK 964

$101 COP 327.9K

-1.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 SEK 1,517

$108 COP 350.8K

45.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$928 SEK 8,982

$477 COP 1.6M

94.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$756 SEK 7,323

$376 COP 1.2M

101.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,500 SEK 14.5K

$845 COP 2.7M

77.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 SEK 10.5K

$730 COP 2.4M

48.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,452 SEK 52.8K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

69.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 SEK 25.4K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

91.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,066 SEK 29.7K

$617 COP 2.0M

397.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

13.43

-64.26%

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

Last update for Uppsala: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $928 in Uppsala 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 397% higher in Uppsala, 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 $69.0 in Uppsala versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $393 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

Uppsala vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Uppsala is pricier by about 91%, 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 $2,958 per month in Uppsala 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 $69.0 in Uppsala 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 $1,972 in Uppsala 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 Uppsala at $1,972. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Uppsala 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, Uppsala makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.