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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $2,658 in Bergen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $4,013 in Bergen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $5,368 in Bergen.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 62% less than in Bergen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 25% below, Bergen is 100% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$25.18 NOK 239

-76.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$102 NOK 970

-67.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$19.35 NOK 183

-61.60%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$5.34 NOK 50.7

-69.10%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$3.24 NOK 30.68

-66.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$2.90 NOK 27.47

-73.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$11.61 NOK 110

-85.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$9.63 NOK 91.3

-66.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$2.71 NOK 25.70

-59.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$3.44 NOK 32.64

-63.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$2.79 NOK 26.44

-50.54%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$5.03 NOK 47.68

-56.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$13.95 NOK 132

-67.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$15.55 NOK 147

-62.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$27.87 NOK 264

-67.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$3.81 NOK 36.09

-39.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$2.96 NOK 28.07

-64.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$3.58 NOK 33.98

-57.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$5.51 NOK 52.3

-75.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$2.60 NOK 24.70

-56.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$2.75 NOK 26.09

-57.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$2.77 NOK 26.26

-67.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$2.11 NOK 20.02

-57.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$16.74 NOK 159

-86.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$17.70 NOK 168

-31.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$3.39 NOK 32.11

-64.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$4.30 NOK 40.77

-42.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$4.37 NOK 41.45

-80.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$79.8 NOK 757

-47.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$15.20 NOK 144

-90.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$2.20 NOK 20.87

-11.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$72.6 NOK 689

-89.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$2.21 NOK 20.98

-55.20%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$35.8K NOK 339.6K

-50.85%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$43.7K NOK 414.2K

-38.65%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$244 NOK 2,314

-65.99%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$38.05 NOK 361

-74.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$65.4 NOK 620

-64.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$54.2 NOK 513

-53.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$39.77 NOK 377

-51.97%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$19.90 NOK 189

-80.15%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$284 NOK 2,692

11.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$12.9K NOK 122.2K

-53.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$92.5 NOK 877

-35.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$55.7 NOK 528

-42.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$113 NOK 1,067

-9.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$143 NOK 1,360

-25.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$1,304 NOK 12.4K

-63.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$997 NOK 9,455

-62.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$2,032 NOK 19.3K

-58.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$1,595 NOK 15.1K

-54.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$7,558 NOK 71.7K

-56.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$4,679 NOK 44.4K

-69.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$4,385 NOK 41.6K

-85.76%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bergen: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $1,304 in Bergen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bergen pays 602% 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 $193 vs $485 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 165% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 602% lower in Bergen. 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: $475 in Medellin versus $1,304 in Bergen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $316 in Medellin versus $284 in Bergen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 151% higher in Bergen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $2,658 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 165% less than in Bergen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.