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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,999 per month in Uppsala vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,014 per month in Uppsala vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,028 per month in Uppsala vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Uppsala costs about 97% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Uppsala sits 49% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.78 SEK 148

$5.99 COP 21.4K

163.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.9 SEK 656

$32.86 COP 117.2K

112.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.40 SEK 107

$7.09 COP 25.3K

60.79%

Cappuccino

$5.00 SEK 47.00

$1.71 COP 6,105

192.40%

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

$2.67 SEK 25.05

$1.10 COP 3,918

142.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 SEK 20.56

$0.78 COP 2,776

180.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.39 SEK 78.8

$1.68 COP 5,987

399.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.66 SEK 81.4

$3.07 COP 10.9K

182.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SEK 15.33

$1.09 COP 3,899

49.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 SEK 25.83

$1.26 COP 4,500

118.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.53 SEK 42.59

$1.38 COP 4,914

228.26%

Eggs

$5.10 SEK 47.92

$2.19 COP 7,813

132.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.89 SEK 112

$4.40 COP 15.7K

170.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.97 SEK 131

$5.63 COP 20.1K

148.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.80 SEK 158

$8.89 COP 31.7K

88.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 SEK 35.09

$2.34 COP 8,334

59.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.79 SEK 26.21

$1.06 COP 3,771

163.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.57 SEK 33.51

$1.50 COP 5,365

138.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.18 SEK 48.69

$1.38 COP 4,915

275.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.58 SEK 14.82

$1.15 COP 4,104

37.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 SEK 16.81

$1.16 COP 4,148

54.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 SEK 24.72

$0.89 COP 3,176

195.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 SEK 12.41

$0.84 COP 2,992

57.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.14 SEK 76.4

$2.28 COP 8,131

257.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.81 SEK 102

$10.64 COP 37.9K

1.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 SEK 22.62

$1.20 COP 4,276

100.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 SEK 24.13

$2.47 COP 8,809

4.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.01 SEK 37.63

$0.86 COP 3,051

366.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 SEK 1,023

$41.40 COP 147.6K

163.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 SEK 53.4

$1.47 COP 5,255

287.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 SEK 11.17

$1.96 COP 6,997

-39.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.5 SEK 597

$7.74 COP 27.6K

720.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 SEK 18.84

$0.95 COP 3,403

111.58%

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

$33.2K SEK 311.7K

$18.1K COP 64.6M

83.00%

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

$33.8K SEK 317.6K

$26.5K COP 94.4M

27.66%

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

$111 SEK 1,040

$82.3 COP 293.2K

34.66%

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

$29.67 SEK 279

$9.50 COP 33.9K

212.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.81 SEK 412

$24.23 COP 86.4K

80.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.15 SEK 358

$25.89 COP 92.3K

47.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.06 SEK 264

$19.00 COP 67.7K

47.68%

Cinema Ticket

$19.76 SEK 186

$3.93 COP 14.0K

402.80%

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

$149 SEK 1,400

$309 COP 1.1M

-51.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,570 SEK 52.3K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-6.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.7 SEK 833

$58.7 COP 209.1K

51.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.94 SEK 394

$32.35 COP 115.3K

29.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.7 SEK 927

$103 COP 365.7K

-3.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 SEK 1,471

$108 COP 386.5K

44.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$943 SEK 8,862

$476 COP 1.7M

98.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$755 SEK 7,087

$379 COP 1.4M

99.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,503 SEK 14.1K

$838 COP 3.0M

79.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 SEK 10.1K

$724 COP 2.6M

48.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,511 SEK 51.8K

$2,791 COP 9.9M

97.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,972 SEK 27.9K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

145.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,097 SEK 29.1K

$512 COP 1.8M

505.06%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $943 in Uppsala 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 505% 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 $70.0 in Uppsala versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $387 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

Uppsala vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Uppsala is pricier by about 97%, 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 $2,999 per month in Uppsala 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 $70.0 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 $1,999 in Uppsala 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 Uppsala at $1,999. 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.