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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,064 per month in Uppsala vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,190 per month in Uppsala vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,315 per month in Uppsala vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Uppsala costs about 26% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Uppsala and Medellin sit above the global median – Uppsala by 50%, Medellin by 19%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.46 SEK 150

$8.04 COP 24.8K

92.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.3 SEK 817

$48.29 COP 148.6K

74.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.56 SEK 102

$9.42 COP 29.0K

12.10%

Cappuccino

$5.02 SEK 48.67

$2.94 COP 9,040

70.75%

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

$3.27 SEK 31.65

$1.86 COP 5,735

75.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 SEK 24.42

$1.46 COP 4,479

72.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.25 SEK 80.0

$3.21 COP 9,882

157.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.59 SEK 103

$5.71 COP 17.6K

85.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 SEK 18.38

$1.44 COP 4,428

31.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.93 SEK 28.43

$2.40 COP 7,389

22.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.16 SEK 40.31

$1.70 COP 5,228

144.71%

Eggs

$5.27 SEK 51.1

$2.89 COP 8,896

82.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.51 SEK 102

$10.06 COP 30.9K

4.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.16 SEK 147

$9.97 COP 30.7K

52.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.78 SEK 182

$14.20 COP 43.7K

32.25%

Apples (1kg)

$4.37 SEK 42.41

$3.98 COP 12.3K

9.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 SEK 27.27

$1.58 COP 4,878

77.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.65 SEK 35.38

$2.15 COP 6,624

69.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.51 SEK 53.4

$2.30 COP 7,078

139.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 SEK 17.64

$2.00 COP 6,169

-9.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 SEK 17.13

$1.51 COP 4,646

17.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.72 SEK 26.41

$1.20 COP 3,701

126.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 SEK 13.24

$1.28 COP 3,946

7.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.24 SEK 79.9

$3.84 COP 11.8K

114.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.53 SEK 102

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-24.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 SEK 24.37

$1.71 COP 5,256

46.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 SEK 25.48

$2.74 COP 8,440

-4.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.16 SEK 40.33

$1.25 COP 3,834

232.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$115 SEK 1,115

$77.9 COP 239.7K

47.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.56 SEK 53.9

$1.31 COP 4,016

324.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 SEK 12.71

$2.17 COP 6,680

-39.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$64.4 SEK 625

$8.29 COP 25.5K

677.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 SEK 17.55

$1.36 COP 4,172

33.09%

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

$33.8K SEK 327.4K

$27.5K COP 84.5M

22.95%

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

$34.1K SEK 330.8K

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-6.62%

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

$114 SEK 1,101

$169 COP 519.2K

-32.67%

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

$18.75 SEK 182

$13.57 COP 41.8K

38.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.37 SEK 440

$28.32 COP 87.2K

60.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.55 SEK 393

$45.71 COP 140.7K

-11.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.00 SEK 242

$17.22 COP 53.0K

45.18%

Cinema Ticket

$19.58 SEK 190

$6.65 COP 20.5K

194.44%

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

$133 SEK 1,291

$803 COP 2.5M

-83.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.2 SEK 923

$87.4 COP 268.8K

8.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.8 SEK 502

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-12.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.2 SEK 962

$139 COP 427.5K

-28.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$209 SEK 2,027

$102 COP 314.0K

104.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 SEK 9,044

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-12.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$727 SEK 7,052

$653 COP 2.0M

11.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,822 SEK 17.7K

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-5.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,164 SEK 11.3K

$1,048 COP 3.2M

11.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,396 SEK 52.3K

$4,123 COP 12.7M

30.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,710 SEK 26.3K

$1,697 COP 5.2M

59.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,107 SEK 30.1K

$655 COP 2.0M

374.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.94

10.94

-63.99%

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

Last update for Uppsala: September 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $933 in Uppsala versus $1,071 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 374% 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 $84.0 in Uppsala versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $406 vs $300 – 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 26%, 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 $3,097 per month in Uppsala and $2,462 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 $84.0 in Uppsala and $48.00 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 $2,064 in Uppsala and $1,641 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,641, than in Uppsala at $2,064. 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.