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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $2,212 in Drammen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $3,324 in Drammen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $4,437 in Drammen, rent included.

Medellin is about 53% cheaper than Drammen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$20.63 NOK 199

-70.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$74.8 NOK 721

-56.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$13.18 NOK 127

-44.31%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$4.73 NOK 45.63

-63.64%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$2.45 NOK 23.64

-57.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$2.68 NOK 25.80

-71.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$8.14 NOK 78.5

-79.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$6.23 NOK 60.1

-49.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.11 NOK 20.32

-50.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$3.13 NOK 30.17

-58.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$3.32 NOK 32.00

-57.83%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$4.19 NOK 40.41

-48.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$11.24 NOK 108

-60.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$13.19 NOK 127

-55.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$17.36 NOK 167

-50.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$1.95 NOK 18.81

16.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$2.26 NOK 21.75

-50.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$3.29 NOK 31.71

-53.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$3.79 NOK 36.51

-64.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.30 NOK 22.22

-50.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.34 NOK 12.90

-15.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.79 NOK 17.23

-52.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.83 NOK 17.69

-50.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$14.30 NOK 138

-83.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$12.44 NOK 120

-0.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.93 NOK 28.29

-59.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$4.08 NOK 39.37

-38.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$2.83 NOK 27.26

-70.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$76.5 NOK 737

-46.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$10.25 NOK 98.8

-86.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.22 NOK 11.73

57.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$99.6 NOK 960

-92.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$2.16 NOK 20.84

-54.17%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$41.1K NOK 396.1K

-56.10%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$39.1K NOK 377.1K

-31.91%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$218 NOK 2,103

-62.94%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$43.27 NOK 417

-77.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$37.61 NOK 363

-35.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$84.5 NOK 815

-70.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$35.41 NOK 341

-45.92%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$15.17 NOK 146

-73.76%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$302 NOK 2,909

1.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$10.1K NOK 97.6K

-40.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$97.2 NOK 937

-40.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$24.93 NOK 240

29.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$101 NOK 971

0.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$144 NOK 1,391

-25.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$942 NOK 9,081

-49.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$769 NOK 7,415

-51.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,460 NOK 14.1K

-42.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$1,366 NOK 13.2K

-46.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$10.3K NOK 99.7K

-68.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$6,145 NOK 59.3K

-77.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$3,527 NOK 34.0K

-82.51%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Drammen: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $942 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 472% 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: $193 vs $376 – 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: $1,031 in Medellin, $2,212 in Drammen – roughly 115% apart. Drammen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $3,318 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 $305 per month in Medellin and $302 in Drammen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 95% 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 $1,031, than in Drammen at $2,212. 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 $1,031 in Medellin to $2,212 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.