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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,803 per month in Varnamo vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,833 per month in Varnamo vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,863 per month in Varnamo vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Varnamo costs about 80% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Varnamo sits 35% above the global median, while Medellin is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.77 SEK 121

$5.91 COP 18.6K

116.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.7 SEK 843

$32.96 COP 103.8K

169.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.98 SEK 114

$7.43 COP 23.4K

61.24%

Cappuccino

$4.93 SEK 46.85

$1.65 COP 5,207

198.79%

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

$2.87 SEK 27.24

$1.10 COP 3,468

160.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 SEK 20.21

$0.78 COP 2,458

173.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.03 SEK 76.3

$1.72 COP 5,412

366.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.58 SEK 72.0

$3.18 COP 10.0K

138.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 SEK 15.25

$1.10 COP 3,474

45.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 SEK 20.55

$1.26 COP 3,962

71.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.06 SEK 29.04

$1.38 COP 4,349

121.74%

Eggs

$4.62 SEK 43.84

$2.18 COP 6,858

111.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.84 SEK 122

$4.49 COP 14.1K

185.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.69 SEK 111

$5.79 COP 18.2K

101.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.16 SEK 163

$8.97 COP 28.2K

91.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 SEK 30.47

$2.32 COP 7,308

38.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 SEK 27.22

$1.06 COP 3,352

170.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 SEK 27.45

$1.52 COP 4,774

90.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.45 SEK 42.23

$1.36 COP 4,270

227.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 SEK 16.49

$1.13 COP 3,552

53.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 SEK 15.06

$1.17 COP 3,689

35.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.55 SEK 24.27

$0.90 COP 2,838

183.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 SEK 11.82

$0.90 COP 2,823

37.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.84 SEK 74.5

$2.23 COP 7,034

251.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.27 SEK 107

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-7.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 SEK 19.29

$1.19 COP 3,743

70.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 SEK 21.21

$2.48 COP 7,815

-10.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.30 SEK 31.39

$0.85 COP 2,687

288.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.4 SEK 697

$41.62 COP 131.0K

76.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.53 SEK 52.5

$1.42 COP 4,459

289.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.53 SEK 24.08

$1.95 COP 6,141

29.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.9 SEK 607

$7.89 COP 24.8K

709.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 SEK 18.69

$0.99 COP 3,118

98.99%

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

$32.3K SEK 306.9K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

83.52%

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

$34.2K SEK 325.1K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

27.71%

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

$119 SEK 1,132

$83.0 COP 261.4K

43.59%

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

$29.16 SEK 277

$9.70 COP 30.5K

200.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.96 SEK 389

$23.52 COP 74.1K

74.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.18 SEK 391

$25.26 COP 79.5K

63.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.42 SEK 242

$19.10 COP 60.1K

33.09%

Cinema Ticket

$18.14 SEK 172

$3.95 COP 12.4K

359.24%

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

$176 SEK 1,674

$316 COP 994.2K

-44.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,148 SEK 39.4K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

-30.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.4 SEK 774

$60.0 COP 188.9K

35.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.8 SEK 577

$31.82 COP 100.2K

90.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 SEK 991

$102 COP 320.1K

2.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 SEK 1,217

$107 COP 338.3K

19.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$852 SEK 8,094

$475 COP 1.5M

79.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$665 SEK 6,320

$374 COP 1.2M

77.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,387 SEK 13.2K

$849 COP 2.7M

63.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,098 SEK 10.4K

$719 COP 2.3M

52.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,181 SEK 39.7K

$3,265 COP 10.3M

28.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,906 SEK 27.6K

$1,441 COP 4.5M

101.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,092 SEK 19.9K

$624 COP 2.0M

235.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

13.43

-64.26%

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

Last update for Varnamo: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $852 in Varnamo versus $475 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 235% 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 $89.0 in Varnamo versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $355 vs $193 – 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 80%, 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 $2,704 per month in Varnamo and $1,504 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 $89.0 in Varnamo 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 $1,803 in Varnamo and $1,003 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 $1,003, than in Varnamo at $1,803. 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.