Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Drammen Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Drammen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $2,214 in Drammen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $3,324 in Drammen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $4,434 in Drammen, rent included.

Medellin is about 54% cheaper than Drammen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Drammen is 65% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$20.64 NOK 192

-70.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$75.3 NOK 701

-56.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$13.06 NOK 122

-45.71%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$4.99 NOK 46.43

-65.73%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$2.42 NOK 22.52

-54.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$2.64 NOK 24.60

-70.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$7.82 NOK 72.8

-78.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$6.19 NOK 57.6

-50.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$2.20 NOK 20.51

-50.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$3.13 NOK 29.17

-59.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$3.15 NOK 29.34

-56.19%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$4.19 NOK 38.98

-47.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$11.60 NOK 108

-62.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$13.42 NOK 125

-58.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$17.23 NOK 160

-48.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$2.05 NOK 19.08

14.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$2.32 NOK 21.62

-54.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$3.42 NOK 31.83

-56.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$3.95 NOK 36.79

-65.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$2.27 NOK 21.14

-49.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.34 NOK 12.48

-13.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$1.85 NOK 17.18

-51.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$1.93 NOK 17.93

-56.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$14.45 NOK 135

-84.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$13.02 NOK 121

-18.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$3.07 NOK 28.58

-60.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$3.91 NOK 36.39

-36.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$2.81 NOK 26.17

-69.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$75.5 NOK 703

-45.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$10.01 NOK 93.2

-85.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$1.26 NOK 11.77

55.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$103 NOK 959

-92.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$2.17 NOK 20.21

-56.22%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$39.9K NOK 371.5K

-54.56%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$38.9K NOK 362.0K

-31.88%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$217 NOK 2,021

-62.11%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$44.32 NOK 413

-78.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$38.34 NOK 357

-36.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$86.1 NOK 801

-69.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$35.80 NOK 333

-46.93%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$14.77 NOK 138

-73.39%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$310 NOK 2,887

-0.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$10.2K NOK 95.4K

-41.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$97.8 NOK 910

-39.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$25.22 NOK 235

28.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$97.7 NOK 909

5.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$142 NOK 1,326

-23.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$932 NOK 8,676

-48.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$777 NOK 7,229

-51.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,491 NOK 13.9K

-43.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$1,343 NOK 12.5K

-46.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$10.8K NOK 100.7K

-74.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$6,561 NOK 61.1K

-81.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$3,747 NOK 34.9K

-86.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.38

206.62%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Drammen: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $932 in Drammen. 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 632% higher in Drammen, 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 $75.0 in Drammen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $383 – 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 Drammen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,013 in Medellin, $2,214 in Drammen – roughly 119% apart. Drammen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $3,321 in Drammen. 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.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Medellin and $310 in Drammen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 103% more in Drammen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Drammen at $2,214. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Drammen 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 $2,214 in Drammen. 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, Drammen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.