Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Bergen and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,622 in Bergen versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,948 in Bergen versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,274 in Bergen versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Bergen is roughly 158% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bergen is 95% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.22 NOK 239

$5.95 COP 20.8K

323.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 NOK 965

$33.33 COP 116.3K

204.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.97 NOK 180

$7.23 COP 25.2K

162.38%

Cappuccino

$5.55 NOK 52.6

$1.63 COP 5,687

240.49%

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

$3.17 NOK 30.10

$1.09 COP 3,821

190.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 NOK 28.56

$0.73 COP 2,548

312.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.86 NOK 113

$1.74 COP 6,065

581.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.58 NOK 90.9

$3.23 COP 11.3K

196.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.69 NOK 25.50

$1.05 COP 3,662

156.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.44 NOK 32.66

$1.29 COP 4,515

166.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.88 NOK 27.34

$1.32 COP 4,617

118.18%

Eggs

$5.03 NOK 47.75

$2.27 COP 7,927

121.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 NOK 132

$4.35 COP 15.2K

220.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.99 NOK 152

$5.88 COP 20.5K

171.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.79 NOK 264

$8.61 COP 30.0K

222.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.79 NOK 35.95

$2.25 COP 7,844

68.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.95 NOK 27.98

$1.07 COP 3,733

175.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.59 NOK 34.03

$1.52 COP 5,322

136.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.70 NOK 54.1

$1.42 COP 4,964

301.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 NOK 24.85

$1.17 COP 4,084

123.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 NOK 27.29

$1.17 COP 4,077

145.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.91 NOK 27.63

$0.89 COP 3,096

226.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 NOK 20.34

$0.90 COP 3,146

137.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.78 NOK 159

$2.25 COP 7,837

645.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.96 NOK 170

$11.04 COP 38.5K

62.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.44 NOK 32.68

$1.14 COP 3,977

201.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 NOK 40.97

$2.38 COP 8,301

81.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.44 NOK 42.14

$0.84 COP 2,916

428.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.0 NOK 759

$41.95 COP 146.4K

90.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.23 NOK 145

$1.41 COP 4,912

980.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.27 NOK 21.55

$1.90 COP 6,634

19.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$72.5 NOK 688

$7.75 COP 27.0K

835.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 NOK 20.93

$1.01 COP 3,509

118.81%

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

$35.9K NOK 340.3K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

103.95%

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

$42.9K NOK 407.0K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

61.84%

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

$243 NOK 2,311

$83.7 COP 292.1K

190.92%

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

$38.80 NOK 368

$9.45 COP 33.0K

310.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.3 NOK 620

$24.11 COP 84.1K

170.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 NOK 514

$25.31 COP 88.3K

113.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.54 NOK 375

$19.14 COP 66.8K

106.58%

Cinema Ticket

$20.20 NOK 192

$4.10 COP 14.3K

392.68%

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

$282 NOK 2,677

$312 COP 1.1M

-9.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K NOK 119.9K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

110.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.9 NOK 863

$58.0 COP 202.6K

56.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.9 NOK 531

$32.56 COP 113.6K

71.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 NOK 1,064

$99.6 COP 347.7K

12.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 NOK 1,391

$109 COP 378.8K

35.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 NOK 12.3K

$482 COP 1.7M

168.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$973 NOK 9,238

$379 COP 1.3M

156.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,994 NOK 18.9K

$837 COP 2.9M

138.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,568 NOK 14.9K

$723 COP 2.5M

116.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,844 NOK 74.4K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

176.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,587 NOK 43.5K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

275.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,531 NOK 43.0K

$541 COP 1.9M

737.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.85

13.43

-63.89%

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

Last update for Bergen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,295 in Bergen and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 738% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $102 in Bergen vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $490 vs $190 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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

Bergen vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 158% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Bergen pays 738% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,295 in Bergen versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $282 in Bergen versus $312 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 158% higher in Bergen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $2,622 in Bergen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Bergen. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Bergen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Bergen and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 158% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.