Cost of Living Comparison Between Varnamo and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Varnamo and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,788 per month in Varnamo vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,849 per month in Varnamo vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,910 per month in Varnamo vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Varnamo costs about 6% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Varnamo and Medellin sit above the global median – Varnamo by 31%, Medellin by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.63 SEK 134

$8.02 COP 25.3K

69.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.6 SEK 929

$47.87 COP 151.0K

97.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.37 SEK 122

$9.89 COP 31.2K

25.08%

Cappuccino

$4.93 SEK 48.47

$3.13 COP 9,873

57.51%

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

$2.76 SEK 27.14

$1.91 COP 6,019

44.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 SEK 21.87

$1.51 COP 4,763

47.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.28 SEK 81.4

$3.12 COP 9,853

165.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.34 SEK 72.1

$5.75 COP 18.1K

27.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 SEK 16.79

$1.44 COP 4,558

18.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 SEK 26.83

$2.49 COP 7,843

9.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.92 SEK 38.51

$1.77 COP 5,595

121.47%

Eggs

$4.70 SEK 46.19

$2.96 COP 9,336

58.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.11 SEK 129

$10.07 COP 31.8K

30.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.30 SEK 121

$10.12 COP 31.9K

21.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.53 SEK 172

$14.30 COP 45.1K

22.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 SEK 30.80

$4.14 COP 13.0K

-24.40%

Banana (1kg)

$3.00 SEK 29.48

$1.61 COP 5,073

86.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 SEK 28.36

$2.25 COP 7,083

28.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.68 SEK 45.94

$2.25 COP 7,104

108.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 SEK 17.60

$2.04 COP 6,444

-12.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 SEK 14.66

$1.54 COP 4,842

-3.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 SEK 26.92

$1.17 COP 3,691

134.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 SEK 15.76

$1.31 COP 4,121

22.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.02 SEK 78.8

$3.90 COP 12.3K

105.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.67 SEK 115

$14.01 COP 44.2K

-16.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 SEK 19.90

$1.74 COP 5,498

16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 SEK 27.37

$2.87 COP 9,053

-2.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.41 SEK 33.47

$1.22 COP 3,834

179.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.1 SEK 787

$80.5 COP 253.9K

-0.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.14 SEK 50.5

$1.31 COP 4,129

292.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.16 SEK 11.42

$2.19 COP 6,899

-47.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.03 SEK 423

$8.71 COP 27.5K

394.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.80 SEK 17.66

$1.37 COP 4,306

31.39%

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

$34.1K SEK 335.2K

$27.8K COP 87.8M

22.57%

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

$34.4K SEK 337.5K

$35.8K COP 112.8M

-3.98%

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

$81.5 SEK 800

$177 COP 559.3K

-54.06%

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

$32.13 SEK 316

$13.88 COP 43.8K

131.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.81 SEK 421

$29.72 COP 93.8K

44.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.50 SEK 388

$44.88 COP 141.6K

-11.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.42 SEK 260

$17.12 COP 54.0K

54.32%

Cinema Ticket

$15.50 SEK 152

$6.65 COP 21.0K

133.08%

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

$165 SEK 1,623

$813 COP 2.6M

-79.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,125 SEK 50.3K

$9,187 COP 29.0M

-44.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.1 SEK 816

$89.5 COP 282.3K

-7.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.5 SEK 595

$59.0 COP 186.0K

2.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 SEK 1,040

$138 COP 435.9K

-23.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 SEK 1,267

$102 COP 322.1K

26.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$844 SEK 8,294

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-20.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 SEK 6,100

$663 COP 2.1M

-6.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,410 SEK 13.9K

$1,888 COP 6.0M

-25.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,038 SEK 10.2K

$1,027 COP 3.2M

1.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,235 SEK 41.6K

$4,183 COP 13.2M

1.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,859 SEK 28.1K

$1,675 COP 5.3M

70.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,104 SEK 20.7K

$678 COP 2.1M

210.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.03

10.94

-72.30%

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

Last update for Varnamo: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $844 in Varnamo versus $1,062 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 210% higher in Varnamo, 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 $95.0 in Varnamo versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $379 vs $305 – 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

Varnamo vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Varnamo is pricier by about 6%, 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 $2,682 per month in Varnamo and $2,521 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 $95.0 in Varnamo 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 $1,788 in Varnamo and $1,681 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 $1,681, than in Varnamo at $1,788. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Varnamo 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, Varnamo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.