Cost of Living · SE vs CO
🇸🇪 Stockholm vs 🇨🇴 Medellín: what everyday life costs
Monthly essentials: $1,862 in Sweden vs $736 in Colombia — 60.48% cheaper.
Biggest differences
Much cheaper in Colombia
- 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center: -65.59%
- 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center: -65.59%
- 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center: -65.59%
Closest to Sweden prices
- 🍻 Imported beer, 330ml bottle: -26.22%
- 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand): -26.26%
- 👟 Running shoes (brand): -26.28%
The full basket (32 items)
| Item | Sweden | Colombia | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | |||
| 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center | $1,307 | $450 (1,823,587 COP) | -65.59% |
| 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center | $1,046 | $360 (1,458,845 COP) | -65.59% |
| 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center | $2,391 | $823 (3,334,556 COP) | -65.59% |
| Food out | |||
| 🍜 Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $14.31 | $6.19 (25,089 COP) | -56.74% |
| 🍽️ Dinner for two, mid-range | $59.64 | $25.80 (104,571 COP) | -56.74% |
| 🍔 Fast-food combo meal | $8.93 | $4.17 (16,902 COP) | -53.3% |
| Groceries | |||
| 🥛 Milk, 1L | $0.93 | $0.51 (2,067 COP) | -45.16% |
| 🍞 Bread, fresh loaf 500g | $2.71 | $1.47 (5,958 COP) | -45.76% |
| 🥚 Eggs, dozen | $2.88 | $1.56 (6,323 COP) | -45.83% |
| 🍗 Chicken breast, 1kg | $8.47 | $4.60 (18,644 COP) | -45.69% |
| 🍚 White rice, 1kg | $3.39 | $1.84 (7,458 COP) | -45.72% |
| 🍎 Apples, 1kg | $4.06 | $2.21 (8,957 COP) | -45.57% |
| 🧀 Local cheese, 1kg | $10.16 | $5.52 (22,373 COP) | -45.67% |
| 💧 Water, 1.5L bottle | $1.69 | $0.92 (3,729 COP) | -45.56% |
| Drinks | |||
| 🍺 Domestic beer, pint (draught) | $4.77 | $2.06 (8,349 COP) | -56.81% |
| 🍻 Imported beer, 330ml bottle | $7.36 | $5.43 (22,009 COP) | -26.22% |
| ☕ Cappuccino | $3.98 | $1.72 (6,971 COP) | -56.78% |
| 🥤 Coke/Pepsi, 330ml | $1.95 | $1.06 (4,296 COP) | -45.64% |
| Transport | |||
| 🚇 Public transport, monthly pass | $52.78 | $24.64 (99,869 COP) | -53.32% |
| 🎫 Public transport, one-way | $2.23 | $1.04 (4,215 COP) | -53.36% |
| 🚕 Taxi start (normal tariff) | $3.18 | $1.38 (5,593 COP) | -56.6% |
| 🛣️ Taxi, per km | $1.43 | $0.62 (2,513 COP) | -56.64% |
| ⛽ Petrol/gasoline, 1L | $0.87 | $0.64 (2,594 COP) | -26.44% |
| Utilities & comms | |||
| 💡 Basic utilities, 85m² apartment | $162 | $75.80 (307,228 COP) | -53.33% |
| 🌐 Internet, 60Mbps+ unlimited | $56.84 | $26.53 (107,530 COP) | -53.33% |
| 📱 Mobile plan, 10GB+ data | $36.54 | $17.06 (69,147 COP) | -53.31% |
| Lifestyle | |||
| 🏋️ Gym membership, month | $39.76 | $17.20 (69,714 COP) | -56.74% |
| 🎬 Cinema seat | $11.13 | $4.82 (19,536 COP) | -56.69% |
| 💈 Men's haircut | $23.86 | $10.32 (41,828 COP) | -56.75% |
| 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand) | $50.60 | $37.31 (151,223 COP) | -26.26% |
| 👟 Running shoes (brand) | $82.81 | $61.05 (247,444 COP) | -26.28% |
| 💻 Coworking hot desk, month | $199 | $85.99 (348,529 COP) | -56.75% |
Estimated from World Bank — Consumption price levels with per-item elasticity — model figures, not quotes. Compare any pair in the interactive tool.
Related
Frequently asked questions
- How much cheaper is Colombia than Sweden?
- A single person's monthly essentials run about $736 in Colombia versus $1,862 in Sweden — 60.48% less. Rents differ the most; world-priced goods like petrol and electronics the least.
- What does a beer cost in Colombia?
- A domestic draught pint is roughly $2.06 in Colombia (≈ 8349.46 COP), versus about $4.77 in Sweden.
- How much is rent in Colombia compared to Sweden?
- A 1-bedroom city-center apartment is estimated at $450/month in Colombia versus $1,307/month in Sweden (-65.59%). Housing is the most locally-priced item in the basket.
- How are these prices estimated?
- Curated US baseline prices scaled by each country's purchasing-power price level with per-item elasticities (housing 1.4, services 1.1, groceries 0.8, world-priced goods 0.4) — model estimates for orientation, not quotes.