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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,873 per month in Varberg vs $1,030 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,861 per month in Varberg vs $1,586 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,850 per month in Varberg vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Varberg costs about 82% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Varberg sits 40% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.52 SEK 124

$5.92 COP 21.2K

128.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.8 SEK 789

$33.17 COP 118.7K

158.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.16 SEK 93.4

$7.25 COP 25.9K

40.14%

Cappuccino

$4.10 SEK 37.70

$1.71 COP 6,137

139.77%

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

$0.99 SEK 9.13

$1.09 COP 3,915

-9.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 SEK 8.99

$0.77 COP 2,743

27.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.92 SEK 72.9

$1.75 COP 6,254

352.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.89 SEK 72.5

$3.18 COP 11.4K

148.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 SEK 13.73

$1.06 COP 3,792

40.57%

White Bread (500g)

$3.15 SEK 29.02

$1.30 COP 4,657

142.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.51 SEK 32.29

$1.38 COP 4,926

154.35%

Eggs

$4.45 SEK 40.90

$2.21 COP 7,908

101.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.13 SEK 112

$4.52 COP 16.2K

168.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.62 SEK 107

$5.80 COP 20.7K

100.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.32 SEK 196

$8.97 COP 32.1K

137.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 SEK 30.51

$2.29 COP 8,182

44.98%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 SEK 26.00

$1.06 COP 3,791

166.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.43 SEK 31.58

$1.51 COP 5,411

127.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 SEK 44.24

$1.36 COP 4,869

253.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 SEK 14.11

$1.16 COP 4,146

31.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 SEK 17.88

$1.17 COP 4,174

65.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 SEK 23.17

$0.83 COP 2,960

203.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 SEK 10.46

$0.85 COP 3,043

34.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.21 SEK 66.4

$2.35 COP 8,423

206.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.74 SEK 98.8

$11.09 COP 39.7K

-3.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 SEK 19.17

$1.15 COP 4,133

80.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 SEK 11.96

$2.47 COP 8,853

-47.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 SEK 26.99

$0.79 COP 2,827

270.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.6 SEK 686

$41.85 COP 149.8K

78.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 SEK 48.97

$1.44 COP 5,140

269.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.56 SEK 23.55

$1.90 COP 6,793

34.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$56.0 SEK 515

$7.70 COP 27.6K

627.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 SEK 17.65

$1.03 COP 3,680

86.41%

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

$32.9K SEK 302.4K

$17.7K COP 63.3M

85.86%

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

$33.3K SEK 306.8K

$27.0K COP 96.7M

23.44%

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

$154 SEK 1,419

$81.4 COP 291.4K

89.46%

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

$21.13 SEK 194

$9.42 COP 33.7K

124.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.27 SEK 297

$23.77 COP 85.1K

35.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.09 SEK 378

$25.86 COP 92.6K

58.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.52 SEK 235

$19.34 COP 69.2K

31.95%

Cinema Ticket

$16.57 SEK 152

$4.05 COP 14.5K

309.14%

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

$156 SEK 1,432

$312 COP 1.1M

-50.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,124 SEK 37.9K

$6,067 COP 21.7M

-32.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 SEK 824

$58.9 COP 210.7K

52.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.66 SEK 383

$32.82 COP 117.5K

26.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 SEK 925

$100 COP 359.6K

0.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 SEK 1,468

$106 COP 380.3K

50.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$847 SEK 7,795

$490 COP 1.8M

73.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$664 SEK 6,109

$371 COP 1.3M

79.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,395 SEK 12.8K

$838 COP 3.0M

66.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 SEK 10.0K

$715 COP 2.6M

52.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,272 SEK 39.3K

$2,952 COP 10.6M

44.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,993 SEK 27.5K

$1,394 COP 5.0M

114.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,434 SEK 31.6K

$532 COP 1.9M

545.53%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $847 in Varberg versus $490 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 546% 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 $86 in Varberg versus $33 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $375 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 82%, 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 $2,809 per month in Varberg and $1,544 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 $86.0 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 $1,873 in Varberg and $1,030 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 $1,030, than in Varberg at $1,873. 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.