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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,918 per month in Vasteras vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,919 per month in Vasteras vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,920 per month in Vasteras vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Vasteras costs about 12% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Vasteras and Medellin sit above the global median – Vasteras by 40%, Medellin by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.84 SEK 141

$8.03 COP 25.2K

84.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.0 SEK 638

$48.26 COP 151.7K

38.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.49 SEK 100

$9.77 COP 30.7K

7.37%

Cappuccino

$4.57 SEK 43.57

$2.91 COP 9,149

57.04%

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

$2.44 SEK 23.22

$1.94 COP 6,110

25.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 SEK 21.17

$1.52 COP 4,783

46.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.33 SEK 69.9

$3.09 COP 9,721

137.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.29 SEK 69.5

$5.74 COP 18.1K

27.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 SEK 14.00

$1.36 COP 4,287

8.09%

White Bread (500g)

$3.14 SEK 29.91

$2.39 COP 7,505

31.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.76 SEK 35.88

$1.70 COP 5,346

121.18%

Eggs

$4.21 SEK 40.11

$2.87 COP 9,021

46.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.34 SEK 118

$9.94 COP 31.2K

24.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.49 SEK 129

$10.78 COP 33.9K

25.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.27 SEK 222

$14.73 COP 46.3K

57.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 SEK 30.98

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-20.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 SEK 24.27

$1.57 COP 4,940

62.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.73 SEK 35.56

$2.13 COP 6,682

75.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.08 SEK 38.90

$2.21 COP 6,959

84.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 SEK 14.16

$2.05 COP 6,435

-27.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 SEK 17.03

$1.50 COP 4,728

19.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 SEK 21.34

$1.19 COP 3,740

88.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 SEK 14.49

$1.16 COP 3,640

31.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.47 SEK 71.3

$3.90 COP 12.2K

91.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.29 SEK 117

$14.44 COP 45.4K

-14.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 SEK 13.27

$1.58 COP 4,978

-12.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 SEK 21.14

$2.83 COP 8,889

-21.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.41 SEK 32.53

$1.17 COP 3,672

191.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.9 SEK 695

$77.7 COP 244.3K

-6.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 SEK 33.90

$1.28 COP 4,038

178.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.94 SEK 28.08

$2.09 COP 6,576

40.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$85.1 SEK 812

$8.62 COP 27.1K

887.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 SEK 17.63

$1.30 COP 4,080

42.31%

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

$34.6K SEK 329.4K

$27.7K COP 86.9M

24.93%

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

$34.8K SEK 331.3K

$35.5K COP 111.6M

-2.13%

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

$188 SEK 1,788

$176 COP 553.4K

6.51%

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

$23.51 SEK 224

$13.37 COP 42.0K

75.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.39 SEK 433

$29.89 COP 94.0K

51.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.95 SEK 333

$44.76 COP 140.7K

-21.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.25 SEK 203

$17.06 COP 53.6K

24.56%

Cinema Ticket

$17.16 SEK 164

$6.20 COP 19.5K

176.77%

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

$156 SEK 1,484

$793 COP 2.5M

-80.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 SEK 49.3K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

-42.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 SEK 1,045

$85.6 COP 269.1K

28.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.98 SEK 391

$58.5 COP 183.8K

-29.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.0 SEK 859

$136 COP 428.4K

-33.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 SEK 1,340

$103 COP 324.1K

36.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$769 SEK 7,328

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-27.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 SEK 5,916

$680 COP 2.1M

-8.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,400 SEK 13.3K

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-30.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,046 SEK 9,972

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-10.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,789 SEK 36.1K

$4,111 COP 12.9M

-7.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,552 SEK 24.3K

$1,701 COP 5.3M

50.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,133 SEK 29.9K

$665 COP 2.1M

370.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.53

10.94

-67.73%

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

Last update for Vasteras: August 29, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $769 in Vasteras versus $1,060 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 371% 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 $67.0 in Vasteras versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $390 vs $303 – 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 12%, 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 $2,878 per month in Vasteras and $2,574 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 $67.0 in Vasteras 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 $1,918 in Vasteras and $1,716 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 $1,716, than in Vasteras at $1,918. 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.