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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,759 per month in Vasteras vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,796 per month in Vasteras vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,833 per month in Vasteras vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Vasteras costs about 71% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Vasteras sits 32% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.94 SEK 145

$6.16 COP 20.1K

142.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.2 SEK 660

$32.60 COP 106.1K

109.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.55 SEK 102

$7.34 COP 23.9K

43.73%

Cappuccino

$4.66 SEK 45.12

$1.72 COP 5,599

170.93%

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

$2.72 SEK 26.32

$1.05 COP 3,420

159.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 SEK 23.97

$0.77 COP 2,515

222.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.51 SEK 72.7

$1.69 COP 5,487

344.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.36 SEK 71.3

$3.17 COP 10.3K

132.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 SEK 14.77

$1.05 COP 3,423

45.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 SEK 25.55

$1.30 COP 4,236

103.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.79 SEK 36.69

$1.40 COP 4,544

170.71%

Eggs

$3.89 SEK 37.66

$2.16 COP 7,046

80.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.12 SEK 117

$4.39 COP 14.3K

176.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.46 SEK 121

$5.88 COP 19.1K

111.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.76 SEK 153

$8.64 COP 28.1K

82.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 SEK 32.00

$2.28 COP 7,425

45.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.62 SEK 25.40

$1.11 COP 3,603

136.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.61 SEK 34.98

$1.53 COP 4,982

135.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.64 SEK 35.26

$1.35 COP 4,410

169.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 SEK 15.06

$1.13 COP 3,674

38.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 SEK 18.72

$1.13 COP 3,692

70.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 SEK 26.76

$0.85 COP 2,753

224.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 SEK 16.09

$0.91 COP 2,975

82.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.40 SEK 71.6

$2.34 COP 7,629

216.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.48 SEK 121

$12.37 COP 40.3K

0.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 SEK 13.48

$1.20 COP 3,909

15.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 SEK 18.92

$2.49 COP 8,104

-21.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.32 SEK 32.11

$0.84 COP 2,727

295.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.1 SEK 707

$40.57 COP 132.1K

80.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.75 SEK 36.28

$1.42 COP 4,623

164.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 SEK 15.36

$1.92 COP 6,235

-17.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$82.9 SEK 803

$7.66 COP 24.9K

982.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 SEK 19.22

$0.99 COP 3,223

100.00%

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

$33.0K SEK 319.3K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

82.94%

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

$34.0K SEK 329.5K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

27.81%

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

$88.6 SEK 857

$80.8 COP 263.1K

9.59%

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

$28.38 SEK 275

$9.95 COP 32.4K

185.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.74 SEK 356

$24.18 COP 78.7K

51.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.70 SEK 355

$25.08 COP 81.6K

46.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.36 SEK 207

$19.15 COP 62.3K

11.54%

Cinema Ticket

$19.33 SEK 187

$3.98 COP 13.0K

385.68%

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

$157 SEK 1,524

$305 COP 993.4K

-48.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,227 SEK 50.6K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-13.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.5 SEK 925

$58.1 COP 189.2K

64.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.96 SEK 406

$32.20 COP 104.8K

30.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 SEK 880

$101 COP 327.9K

-9.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 SEK 1,187

$108 COP 350.8K

13.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$815 SEK 7,894

$477 COP 1.6M

71.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 SEK 5,849

$376 COP 1.2M

60.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,480 SEK 14.3K

$845 COP 2.7M

75.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,133 SEK 11.0K

$730 COP 2.4M

55.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,787 SEK 36.7K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

17.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,478 SEK 24.0K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

80.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,016 SEK 29.2K

$617 COP 2.0M

388.95%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $815 in Vasteras versus $477 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 389% 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: $359 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

Vasteras vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Vasteras is pricier by about 71%, 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 $2,638 per month in Vasteras and $1,546 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 $1,759 in Vasteras and $1,031 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 $1,031, than in Vasteras at $1,759. 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.