Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Alesund Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Alesund

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $2,242 in Alesund, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $3,326 in Alesund, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $4,409 in Alesund, rent included.

Medellin is about 55% cheaper than Alesund, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Alesund is 67% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$19.85 NOK 184

-69.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$85.4 NOK 794

-61.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$12.95 NOK 120

-45.25%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$3.95 NOK 36.66

-56.71%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$2.02 NOK 18.79

-45.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$2.19 NOK 20.32

-64.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$10.94 NOK 102

-84.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$9.25 NOK 85.9

-66.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$2.39 NOK 22.22

-54.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$2.95 NOK 27.39

-57.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$2.89 NOK 26.82

-52.25%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$3.99 NOK 37.02

-45.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$14.13 NOK 131

-68.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$13.66 NOK 127

-58.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$22.52 NOK 209

-60.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$2.74 NOK 25.45

-14.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$2.33 NOK 21.63

-54.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$2.16 NOK 20.09

-30.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$3.68 NOK 34.19

-62.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$2.69 NOK 24.96

-57.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.73 NOK 16.05

-32.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$2.80 NOK 26.05

-68.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$2.14 NOK 19.89

-60.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$13.59 NOK 126

-83.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$18.84 NOK 175

-43.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$3.28 NOK 30.49

-63.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$4.24 NOK 39.40

-41.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$4.53 NOK 42.09

-81.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$65.5 NOK 609

-36.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$12.10 NOK 112

-87.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$2.07 NOK 19.26

-5.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$73.6 NOK 684

-89.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$2.19 NOK 20.35

-56.62%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$36.0K NOK 334.2K

-49.60%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$43.3K NOK 402.3K

-38.83%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$242 NOK 2,251

-66.05%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$39.19 NOK 364

-75.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$40.94 NOK 380

-40.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$58.0 NOK 539

-55.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$29.85 NOK 277

-36.35%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$17.00 NOK 158

-76.88%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$266 NOK 2,468

16.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$2,461 NOK 22.9K

142.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$84.1 NOK 781

-30.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$43.85 NOK 407

-26.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$110 NOK 1,022

-6.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$136 NOK 1,264

-20.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$968 NOK 8,988

-50.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$782 NOK 7,262

-51.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,384 NOK 12.9K

-39.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$1,166 NOK 10.8K

-37.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$4,672 NOK 43.4K

-40.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$2,516 NOK 23.4K

-51.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$4,349 NOK 40.4K

-88.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.03

233.25%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Alesund: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $968 in Alesund. 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 750% higher in Alesund, 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $85.0 in Alesund. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $425 – 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

Medellin vs Alesund: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,013 in Medellin, $2,242 in Alesund – roughly 121% apart. Alesund costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $3,363 in Alesund. 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $85.0 in Alesund. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $2,242 in Alesund. 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 $1,013, than in Alesund at $2,242. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Alesund it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,013 in Medellin to $2,242 in Alesund. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Alesund makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.