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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,671 per month in Varberg vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,673 per month in Varberg vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,675 per month in Varberg vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Varberg costs about 2% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Varberg and Medellin sit above the global median – Varberg by 21%, Medellin by 19%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.62 SEK 151

$8.04 COP 24.8K

94.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.9 SEK 774

$48.29 COP 148.6K

65.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 SEK 103

$9.42 COP 29.0K

12.42%

Cappuccino

$3.90 SEK 37.85

$2.94 COP 9,040

32.65%

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

$1.23 SEK 11.90

$1.86 COP 5,735

-33.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 SEK 10.81

$1.46 COP 4,479

-23.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.35 SEK 61.6

$3.21 COP 9,882

97.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.90 SEK 76.6

$5.71 COP 17.6K

38.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 SEK 15.04

$1.44 COP 4,428

7.64%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 SEK 29.80

$2.40 COP 7,389

27.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.52 SEK 34.15

$1.70 COP 5,228

107.06%

Eggs

$4.33 SEK 41.99

$2.89 COP 8,896

49.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 SEK 128

$10.06 COP 30.9K

31.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.64 SEK 113

$9.97 COP 30.7K

16.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.42 SEK 198

$14.20 COP 43.7K

43.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.19 SEK 30.94

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-19.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.60 SEK 25.19

$1.58 COP 4,878

64.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.15 SEK 30.58

$2.15 COP 6,624

46.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.37 SEK 42.33

$2.30 COP 7,078

90.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 SEK 15.02

$2.00 COP 6,169

-22.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 SEK 15.66

$1.51 COP 4,646

7.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.65 SEK 25.72

$1.20 COP 3,701

120.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 SEK 9.91

$1.28 COP 3,946

-20.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.11 SEK 68.9

$3.84 COP 11.8K

85.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 SEK 102

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-25.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 SEK 20.35

$1.71 COP 5,256

22.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 SEK 12.29

$2.74 COP 8,440

-53.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.97 SEK 28.81

$1.25 COP 3,834

137.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.6 SEK 791

$77.9 COP 239.7K

4.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.31 SEK 51.5

$1.31 COP 4,016

305.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.53 SEK 24.50

$2.17 COP 6,680

16.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$51.5 SEK 499

$8.29 COP 25.5K

521.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 SEK 17.53

$1.36 COP 4,172

33.09%

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

$34.3K SEK 332.8K

$27.5K COP 84.5M

24.95%

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

$35.2K SEK 340.8K

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-3.77%

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

$146 SEK 1,411

$169 COP 519.2K

-13.72%

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

$20.72 SEK 201

$13.57 COP 41.8K

52.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.78 SEK 298

$28.32 COP 87.2K

8.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.70 SEK 404

$45.71 COP 140.7K

-8.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.46 SEK 402

$17.22 COP 53.0K

140.77%

Cinema Ticket

$16.46 SEK 160

$6.65 COP 20.5K

147.52%

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

$159 SEK 1,544

$803 COP 2.5M

-80.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,590 SEK 34.8K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-60.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.0 SEK 718

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-15.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.00 SEK 397

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-30.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 SEK 1,093

$139 COP 427.5K

-18.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 SEK 1,544

$102 COP 314.0K

56.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$844 SEK 8,185

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-21.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$529 SEK 5,130

$653 COP 2.0M

-18.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,244 SEK 12.1K

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-35.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$950 SEK 9,211

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-9.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,747 SEK 65.4K

$4,123 COP 12.7M

63.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,577 SEK 34.7K

$1,697 COP 5.2M

110.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,274 SEK 31.7K

$655 COP 2.0M

399.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.9

10.94

-82.63%

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

Last update for Varberg: September 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $844 in Varberg 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 400% 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 $80.0 in Varberg versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $368 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

Varberg vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Varberg is pricier by about 2%, 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 $2,507 per month in Varberg 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 $80.0 in Varberg 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 $1,671 in Varberg 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 Varberg at $1,671. 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.