Cost of Living Comparison Between Varberg and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Varberg and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,810 per month in Varberg vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,840 per month in Varberg vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,870 per month in Varberg vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Varberg costs about 78% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Varberg sits 35% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.96 SEK 132

$5.95 COP 21.2K

134.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.2 SEK 799

$33.33 COP 118.9K

152.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.95 SEK 94.4

$7.23 COP 25.8K

37.62%

Cappuccino

$4.23 SEK 40.12

$1.63 COP 5,811

159.51%

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

$0.92 SEK 8.74

$1.09 COP 3,904

-15.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 SEK 8.68

$0.73 COP 2,604

24.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.79 SEK 73.8

$1.74 COP 6,197

347.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.08 SEK 76.7

$3.23 COP 11.5K

150.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 SEK 14.40

$1.05 COP 3,742

44.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 SEK 29.59

$1.29 COP 4,614

141.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.51 SEK 33.27

$1.32 COP 4,718

165.91%

Eggs

$4.41 SEK 41.83

$2.27 COP 8,101

94.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.15 SEK 115

$4.35 COP 15.5K

179.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.51 SEK 109

$5.88 COP 21.0K

95.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.97 SEK 199

$8.61 COP 30.7K

143.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 SEK 32.10

$2.25 COP 8,015

50.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 SEK 27.48

$1.07 COP 3,814

171.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 SEK 31.23

$1.52 COP 5,438

116.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 SEK 47.19

$1.42 COP 5,073

250.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 SEK 14.74

$1.17 COP 4,173

32.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 SEK 17.96

$1.17 COP 4,166

61.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 SEK 23.64

$0.89 COP 3,163

179.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 SEK 11.22

$0.90 COP 3,215

31.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.35 SEK 69.7

$2.25 COP 8,008

226.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.61 SEK 101

$11.04 COP 39.4K

-3.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 SEK 19.62

$1.14 COP 4,063

81.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 SEK 11.92

$2.38 COP 8,483

-47.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 SEK 27.77

$0.84 COP 2,979

248.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 SEK 709

$41.95 COP 149.6K

78.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 SEK 49.69

$1.41 COP 5,019

271.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.65 SEK 25.14

$1.90 COP 6,779

39.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$56.3 SEK 534

$7.75 COP 27.6K

626.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 SEK 18.91

$1.01 COP 3,586

97.03%

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

$32.3K SEK 305.8K

$17.6K COP 62.7M

83.46%

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

$34.3K SEK 325.0K

$26.5K COP 94.5M

29.37%

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

$157 SEK 1,491

$83.7 COP 298.4K

87.95%

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

$21.27 SEK 202

$9.45 COP 33.7K

125.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.22 SEK 296

$24.11 COP 86.0K

29.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.03 SEK 389

$25.31 COP 90.3K

62.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.33 SEK 240

$19.14 COP 68.3K

32.34%

Cinema Ticket

$16.62 SEK 158

$4.10 COP 14.6K

305.37%

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

$161 SEK 1,526

$312 COP 1.1M

-48.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,144 SEK 39.3K

$5,993 COP 21.4M

-30.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.2 SEK 855

$58.0 COP 207.0K

55.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.45 SEK 402

$32.56 COP 116.1K

30.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.2 SEK 931

$99.6 COP 355.3K

-1.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$155 SEK 1,474

$109 COP 387.1K

43.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$834 SEK 7,911

$482 COP 1.7M

73.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 SEK 6,195

$379 COP 1.4M

72.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,413 SEK 13.4K

$837 COP 3.0M

68.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,093 SEK 10.4K

$723 COP 2.6M

51.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,916 SEK 65.6K

$2,840 COP 10.1M

143.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,720 SEK 35.3K

$1,223 COP 4.4M

204.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,323 SEK 31.5K

$541 COP 1.9M

514.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.9

13.43

-85.85%

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

Last update for Varberg: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $834 in Varberg versus $482 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 514% higher in Varberg, 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 Varberg versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $374 vs $190 – 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

Varberg vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Varberg is pricier by about 78%, 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 $2,715 per month in Varberg and $1,525 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 Varberg 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 $1,810 in Varberg and $1,017 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 $1,017, than in Varberg at $1,810. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Varberg 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, Varberg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.