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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Living in Medellin costs roughly 61% less than in Bergen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$25.22 NOK 239

-76.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$102 NOK 965

-67.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$18.97 NOK 180

-61.89%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$5.55 NOK 52.6

-70.63%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$3.17 NOK 30.10

-65.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$3.01 NOK 28.56

-75.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$11.86 NOK 113

-85.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$9.58 NOK 90.9

-66.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$2.69 NOK 25.50

-60.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$3.44 NOK 32.66

-62.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$2.88 NOK 27.34

-54.17%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$5.03 NOK 47.75

-54.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$13.96 NOK 132

-68.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$15.99 NOK 152

-63.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$27.79 NOK 264

-69.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$3.79 NOK 35.95

-40.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$2.95 NOK 27.98

-63.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$3.59 NOK 34.03

-57.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$5.70 NOK 54.1

-75.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$2.62 NOK 24.85

-55.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$2.87 NOK 27.29

-59.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$2.91 NOK 27.63

-69.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$2.14 NOK 20.34

-57.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$16.78 NOK 159

-86.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$17.96 NOK 170

-38.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$3.44 NOK 32.68

-66.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$4.32 NOK 40.97

-44.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$4.44 NOK 42.14

-81.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$80.0 NOK 759

-47.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$15.23 NOK 145

-90.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$2.27 NOK 21.55

-16.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$72.5 NOK 688

-89.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$2.21 NOK 20.93

-54.30%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$35.9K NOK 340.3K

-50.97%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$42.9K NOK 407.0K

-38.21%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$243 NOK 2,311

-65.63%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$38.80 NOK 368

-75.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$65.3 NOK 620

-63.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$54.2 NOK 514

-53.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$39.54 NOK 375

-51.59%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$20.20 NOK 192

-79.70%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$282 NOK 2,677

10.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$12.6K NOK 119.9K

-52.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$90.9 NOK 863

-36.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$55.9 NOK 531

-41.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$112 NOK 1,064

-11.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$147 NOK 1,391

-25.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$1,295 NOK 12.3K

-62.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$973 NOK 9,238

-61.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$1,994 NOK 18.9K

-57.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$1,568 NOK 14.9K

-53.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$7,844 NOK 74.4K

-63.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$4,587 NOK 43.5K

-73.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$4,531 NOK 43.0K

-88.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.85

176.91%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Bergen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $1,295 in Bergen. 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $102 in Bergen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $490 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

Medellin vs Bergen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

On paper, Bergen earns 738% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

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

Childcare runs $312 in Medellin versus $282 in Bergen. 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, Medellin and Bergen 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.