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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $2,215 in Alesund, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $3,317 in Alesund, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $4,418 in Alesund, rent included.

Medellin is about 53% cheaper than Alesund, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Alesund is 66% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.0K

$20.27 NOK 195

-69.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.0K

$87.7 NOK 845

-62.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$12.72 NOK 122

-42.30%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,592

$3.94 NOK 37.90

-56.35%

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

$1.05 COP 3,416

$2.00 NOK 19.28

-47.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,511

$2.27 NOK 21.82

-66.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,480

$11.20 NOK 108

-84.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$8.93 NOK 86.0

-64.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,418

$2.43 NOK 23.40

-56.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,230

$2.91 NOK 28.07

-55.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,538

$2.82 NOK 27.12

-50.35%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,037

$3.94 NOK 37.98

-45.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$14.23 NOK 137

-69.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$13.33 NOK 128

-55.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$22.52 NOK 217

-61.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,415

$2.86 NOK 27.57

-20.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,599

$2.40 NOK 23.08

-53.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,976

$2.23 NOK 21.45

-31.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,405

$3.48 NOK 33.56

-61.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,669

$2.71 NOK 26.13

-58.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,687

$1.79 NOK 17.24

-36.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,749

$2.87 NOK 27.60

-70.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,971

$2.04 NOK 19.67

-55.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,619

$14.04 NOK 135

-83.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.2K

$17.23 NOK 166

-28.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,904

$3.30 NOK 31.74

-63.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,094

$4.03 NOK 38.86

-38.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,724

$4.49 NOK 43.20

-81.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 131.9K

$65.9 NOK 635

-38.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,617

$12.11 NOK 117

-88.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,227

$2.18 NOK 21.01

-11.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$73.7 NOK 710

-89.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,219

$2.17 NOK 20.93

-54.38%

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

$18.0K COP 58.6M

$35.9K NOK 345.8K

-49.78%

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

$26.6K COP 86.6M

$43.8K NOK 421.4K

-39.14%

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

$80.8 COP 262.7K

$240 NOK 2,312

-66.34%

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

$9.95 COP 32.3K

$39.04 NOK 376

-74.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.6K

$39.85 NOK 384

-39.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.5K

$57.3 NOK 552

-56.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$30.76 NOK 296

-37.74%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$17.47 NOK 168

-77.22%

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

$305 COP 992.2K

$268 NOK 2,577

14.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$2,464 NOK 23.7K

145.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.0K

$85.4 NOK 822

-31.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.7K

$44.17 NOK 425

-27.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.5K

$110 NOK 1,060

-8.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.3K

$135 NOK 1,298

-20.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.5M

$944 NOK 9,093

-49.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$794 NOK 7,645

-52.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,396 NOK 13.4K

-39.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$1,144 NOK 11.0K

-36.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$4,409 NOK 42.5K

-27.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$2,429 NOK 23.4K

-43.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$4,120 NOK 39.7K

-85.03%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Alesund: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $944 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 568% 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 $88.0 in Alesund. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $419 – 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: $1,031 in Medellin, $2,215 in Alesund – roughly 115% apart. Alesund costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $3,323 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 $88.0 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $2,215 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 $1,031, than in Alesund at $2,215. 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 $1,031 in Medellin to $2,215 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.