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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,804 per month in Varberg vs $1,018 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,844 per month in Varberg vs $1,609 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,885 per month in Varberg vs $2,200 in Medellin, rent included.

Varberg costs about 77% 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

$13.56 SEK 132

$5.93 COP 19.1K

128.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.8 SEK 805

$33.12 COP 106.6K

150.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.03 SEK 97.4

$7.12 COP 22.9K

40.87%

Cappuccino

$4.14 SEK 40.23

$1.71 COP 5,487

142.11%

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

$0.97 SEK 9.46

$1.05 COP 3,374

-7.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 SEK 9.50

$0.72 COP 2,324

36.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.07 SEK 78.3

$1.72 COP 5,531

369.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.78 SEK 75.5

$3.17 COP 10.2K

145.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 SEK 15.26

$1.06 COP 3,426

48.11%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 SEK 29.58

$1.31 COP 4,215

132.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.53 SEK 34.26

$1.33 COP 4,279

165.41%

Eggs

$4.33 SEK 42.06

$2.28 COP 7,338

89.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.21 SEK 119

$4.42 COP 14.2K

176.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.81 SEK 115

$5.92 COP 19.0K

99.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.19 SEK 206

$8.64 COP 27.8K

145.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 SEK 32.21

$2.34 COP 7,545

41.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.93 SEK 28.43

$1.10 COP 3,546

166.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.28 SEK 31.82

$1.47 COP 4,724

123.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.74 SEK 46.05

$1.38 COP 4,439

243.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.62 SEK 15.74

$1.17 COP 3,774

38.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 SEK 18.95

$1.17 COP 3,765

66.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 SEK 25.34

$0.90 COP 2,905

190.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 SEK 11.16

$0.84 COP 2,708

36.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 SEK 68.1

$2.33 COP 7,490

200.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 SEK 101

$11.92 COP 38.3K

-13.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 SEK 20.11

$1.15 COP 3,693

80.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 SEK 12.17

$2.42 COP 7,791

-48.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 SEK 27.38

$0.84 COP 2,702

235.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.0 SEK 709

$40.83 COP 131.4K

78.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.12 SEK 49.68

$1.41 COP 4,541

263.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.55 SEK 24.73

$1.91 COP 6,160

33.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$55.8 SEK 542

$7.83 COP 25.2K

612.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 SEK 18.78

$0.94 COP 3,037

105.32%

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

$32.9K SEK 319.2K

$17.8K COP 57.3M

84.45%

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

$33.7K SEK 327.0K

$27.1K COP 87.1M

24.32%

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

$157 SEK 1,529

$83.3 COP 267.9K

89.05%

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

$20.83 SEK 202

$9.66 COP 31.1K

115.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.21 SEK 313

$24.22 COP 77.9K

32.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.62 SEK 395

$25.22 COP 81.2K

61.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.23 SEK 245

$19.33 COP 62.2K

30.52%

Cinema Ticket

$16.86 SEK 164

$4.07 COP 13.1K

314.25%

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

$161 SEK 1,564

$307 COP 986.5K

-47.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,058 SEK 39.4K

$5,981 COP 19.2M

-32.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.2 SEK 856

$60.0 COP 192.9K

47.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.66 SEK 405

$32.65 COP 105.1K

27.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 SEK 978

$101 COP 325.2K

-0.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 SEK 1,521

$108 COP 347.6K

44.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$836 SEK 8,120

$476 COP 1.5M

75.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$645 SEK 6,267

$379 COP 1.2M

70.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,380 SEK 13.4K

$816 COP 2.6M

69.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 SEK 10.7K

$707 COP 2.3M

55.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,638 SEK 64.5K

$3,190 COP 10.3M

108.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,652 SEK 35.5K

$1,446 COP 4.7M

152.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,197 SEK 31.0K

$622 COP 2.0M

414.20%

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: July 19, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $836 in Varberg 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 414% 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 $83.0 in Varberg versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $374 vs $192 – 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 77%, 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 $2,707 per month in Varberg and $1,527 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 $83.0 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 $1,804 in Varberg and $1,018 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 $1,018, than in Varberg at $1,804. 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.