Cost of Living Comparison Between Fredrikstad and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Fredrikstad and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,682 in Fredrikstad versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,010 in Fredrikstad versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,338 in Fredrikstad versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Fredrikstad is roughly 160% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Fredrikstad is 101% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.97 NOK 173

$6.16 COP 20.0K

191.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$114 NOK 1,093

$32.60 COP 106.0K

248.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.91 NOK 115

$7.34 COP 23.9K

62.26%

Cappuccino

$5.34 NOK 51.4

$1.72 COP 5,592

210.47%

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

$3.97 NOK 38.21

$1.05 COP 3,416

278.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 NOK 26.44

$0.77 COP 2,511

255.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.01 NOK 106

$1.69 COP 5,480

551.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.29 NOK 99.1

$3.17 COP 10.3K

224.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 NOK 21.07

$1.05 COP 3,418

108.57%

White Bread (500g)

$4.25 NOK 40.97

$1.30 COP 4,230

226.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.27 NOK 31.50

$1.40 COP 4,538

133.57%

Eggs

$5.22 NOK 50.3

$2.16 COP 7,037

141.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.78 NOK 113

$4.39 COP 14.3K

168.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.02 NOK 154

$5.88 COP 19.1K

172.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.17 NOK 329

$8.64 COP 28.1K

295.49%

Apples (1kg)

$4.51 NOK 43.45

$2.28 COP 7,415

97.81%

Banana (1kg)

$3.52 NOK 33.91

$1.11 COP 3,599

217.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.50 NOK 43.34

$1.53 COP 4,976

194.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.04 NOK 48.57

$1.35 COP 4,405

273.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 NOK 26.49

$1.13 COP 3,669

143.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 NOK 25.61

$1.13 COP 3,687

135.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 NOK 25.47

$0.85 COP 2,749

210.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 NOK 17.79

$0.91 COP 2,971

103.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.87 NOK 143

$2.34 COP 7,619

535.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.86 NOK 211

$12.37 COP 40.2K

76.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.43 NOK 33.00

$1.20 COP 3,904

185.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.11 NOK 58.9

$2.49 COP 8,094

145.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.87 NOK 37.30

$0.84 COP 2,724

360.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.7 NOK 613

$40.57 COP 131.9K

56.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 NOK 59.9

$1.42 COP 4,617

338.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 NOK 14.02

$1.92 COP 6,227

-23.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.3 NOK 503

$7.66 COP 24.9K

582.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 NOK 21.90

$0.99 COP 3,219

129.29%

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

$35.1K NOK 337.9K

$18.0K COP 58.6M

94.60%

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

$39.1K NOK 376.6K

$26.6K COP 86.6M

46.82%

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

$339 NOK 3,268

$80.8 COP 262.7K

319.84%

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

$37.93 NOK 365

$9.95 COP 32.3K

281.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.0 NOK 549

$24.18 COP 78.6K

135.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.85 NOK 470

$25.08 COP 81.5K

94.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.15 NOK 377

$19.15 COP 62.3K

104.44%

Cinema Ticket

$22.16 NOK 213

$3.98 COP 13.0K

456.78%

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

$284 NOK 2,734

$305 COP 992.2K

-7.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K NOK 98.2K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

68.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$154 NOK 1,483

$58.1 COP 189.0K

164.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.2 NOK 580

$32.20 COP 104.7K

87.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$166 NOK 1,604

$101 COP 327.5K

65.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 NOK 1,278

$108 COP 350.3K

23.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,266 NOK 12.2K

$477 COP 1.5M

165.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$943 NOK 9,086

$376 COP 1.2M

150.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,100 NOK 20.2K

$845 COP 2.7M

148.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,541 NOK 14.8K

$730 COP 2.4M

110.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,874 NOK 56.6K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

82.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,915 NOK 37.7K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

185.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,227 NOK 31.1K

$617 COP 2.0M

423.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.25

13.43

-68.35%

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

Last update for Fredrikstad: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,266 in Fredrikstad and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fredrikstad pays 423% 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: $114 in Fredrikstad vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $523 vs $193 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

Fredrikstad vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 160% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 423% higher in Fredrikstad, 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: $1,266 in Fredrikstad versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $284 in Fredrikstad versus $305 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 171% higher in Fredrikstad. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $2,682 in Fredrikstad, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Fredrikstad. 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 Fredrikstad, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Fredrikstad 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 160% less than in Fredrikstad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.