Cost of Living Comparison Between Vasteras and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Vasteras and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,719 per month in Vasteras vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,758 per month in Vasteras vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,797 per month in Vasteras vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Vasteras costs about 70% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Vasteras sits 28% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.87 SEK 140

$5.99 COP 21.4K

148.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.4 SEK 643

$32.86 COP 117.2K

108.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 SEK 97.5

$7.09 COP 25.3K

46.40%

Cappuccino

$4.45 SEK 41.79

$1.71 COP 6,105

160.23%

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

$2.83 SEK 26.55

$1.10 COP 3,918

157.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 SEK 23.41

$0.78 COP 2,776

219.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 SEK 73.7

$1.68 COP 5,987

367.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.33 SEK 68.9

$3.07 COP 10.9K

138.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 SEK 14.99

$1.09 COP 3,899

46.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 SEK 25.04

$1.26 COP 4,500

111.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.79 SEK 35.57

$1.38 COP 4,914

174.64%

Eggs

$4.07 SEK 38.21

$2.19 COP 7,813

85.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.74 SEK 110

$4.40 COP 15.7K

166.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.59 SEK 118

$5.63 COP 20.1K

123.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.73 SEK 148

$8.89 COP 31.7K

76.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 SEK 31.27

$2.34 COP 8,334

42.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 SEK 24.33

$1.06 COP 3,771

144.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.59 SEK 33.73

$1.50 COP 5,365

139.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.79 SEK 35.60

$1.38 COP 4,915

174.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 SEK 14.54

$1.15 COP 4,104

34.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 SEK 18.79

$1.16 COP 4,148

72.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.71 SEK 25.41

$0.89 COP 3,176

204.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 SEK 16.26

$0.84 COP 2,992

105.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.26 SEK 68.2

$2.28 COP 8,131

218.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.39 SEK 135

$10.64 COP 37.9K

35.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 SEK 13.18

$1.20 COP 4,276

16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 SEK 17.73

$2.47 COP 8,809

-23.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.45 SEK 32.43

$0.86 COP 3,051

301.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.2 SEK 688

$41.40 COP 147.6K

76.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.71 SEK 34.89

$1.47 COP 5,255

152.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 SEK 15.45

$1.96 COP 6,997

-16.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.6 SEK 804

$7.74 COP 27.6K

1006.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 SEK 18.37

$0.95 COP 3,403

106.32%

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

$32.9K SEK 309.0K

$18.1K COP 64.6M

81.45%

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

$34.8K SEK 327.2K

$26.5K COP 94.4M

31.52%

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

$91.0 SEK 855

$82.3 COP 293.2K

10.65%

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

$29.29 SEK 275

$9.50 COP 33.9K

208.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.93 SEK 347

$24.23 COP 86.4K

52.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.70 SEK 345

$25.89 COP 92.3K

41.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 SEK 195

$19.00 COP 67.7K

9.16%

Cinema Ticket

$19.27 SEK 181

$3.93 COP 14.0K

390.33%

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

$156 SEK 1,463

$309 COP 1.1M

-49.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,313 SEK 49.9K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-10.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.1 SEK 884

$58.7 COP 209.1K

60.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.89 SEK 393

$32.35 COP 115.3K

29.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 SEK 879

$103 COP 365.7K

-8.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 SEK 1,170

$108 COP 386.5K

14.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$824 SEK 7,743

$476 COP 1.7M

73.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$591 SEK 5,551

$379 COP 1.4M

56.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,480 SEK 13.9K

$838 COP 3.0M

76.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,124 SEK 10.6K

$724 COP 2.6M

55.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,944 SEK 37.0K

$2,791 COP 9.9M

41.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,666 SEK 25.0K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

120.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,207 SEK 30.1K

$512 COP 1.8M

526.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.87

13.43

-63.74%

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

Last update for Vasteras: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $824 in Vasteras 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 527% higher in Vasteras, 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 $68.0 in Vasteras versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $365 vs $188 – 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

Vasteras vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Vasteras is pricier by about 70%, 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 $2,579 per month in Vasteras and $1,519 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 $68.0 in Vasteras 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 $1,719 in Vasteras and $1,013 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 $1,013, than in Vasteras at $1,719. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vasteras 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, Vasteras makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.