Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Fredrikstad Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Fredrikstad

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $2,682 in Fredrikstad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $4,010 in Fredrikstad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $5,338 in Fredrikstad.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 62% less than in Fredrikstad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% below, Fredrikstad is 101% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$17.97 NOK 173

-65.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$114 NOK 1,094

-71.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$11.91 NOK 115

-38.37%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$5.34 NOK 51.5

-67.79%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$3.97 NOK 38.25

-73.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$2.74 NOK 26.47

-71.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$11.01 NOK 106

-84.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$10.29 NOK 99.3

-69.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.19 NOK 21.09

-52.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$4.25 NOK 41.02

-69.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$3.27 NOK 31.54

-57.19%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$5.22 NOK 50.4

-58.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$11.78 NOK 114

-62.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$16.02 NOK 155

-63.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$34.17 NOK 330

-74.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$4.51 NOK 43.50

-49.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$3.52 NOK 33.95

-68.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$4.50 NOK 43.39

-66.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$5.04 NOK 48.63

-73.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.75 NOK 26.52

-58.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.66 NOK 25.64

-57.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$2.64 NOK 25.50

-67.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.85 NOK 17.81

-50.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$14.87 NOK 143

-84.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$21.86 NOK 211

-43.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$3.43 NOK 33.04

-65.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$6.11 NOK 59.0

-59.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$3.87 NOK 37.35

-78.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$63.7 NOK 614

-36.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$6.22 NOK 60.0

-77.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.46 NOK 14.04

31.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$52.3 NOK 504

-85.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$2.27 NOK 21.93

-56.39%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$35.1K NOK 338.3K

-48.61%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$39.1K NOK 377.0K

-31.89%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$339 NOK 3,272

-76.18%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$37.93 NOK 366

-73.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$57.0 NOK 550

-57.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$48.85 NOK 471

-48.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$39.15 NOK 377

-51.09%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$22.16 NOK 214

-82.04%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$284 NOK 2,737

7.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$10.2K NOK 98.3K

-40.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$154 NOK 1,484

-62.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$60.2 NOK 581

-46.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$166 NOK 1,605

-39.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$133 NOK 1,279

-18.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$1,266 NOK 12.2K

-62.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$943 NOK 9,096

-60.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$2,100 NOK 20.3K

-59.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$1,541 NOK 14.9K

-52.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$5,874 NOK 56.6K

-45.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$3,915 NOK 37.8K

-64.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$3,227 NOK 31.1K

-80.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.25

216.00%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Fredrikstad: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $1,266 in Fredrikstad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fredrikstad pays 423% 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 $114 in Fredrikstad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $523 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 Fredrikstad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 160% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 423% lower in Fredrikstad. 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: $477 in Medellin versus $1,266 in Fredrikstad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $305 in Medellin versus $284 in Fredrikstad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 171% higher in Fredrikstad. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $2,682 in Fredrikstad, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Fredrikstad. 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 Fredrikstad, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Fredrikstad 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 160% less than in Fredrikstad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.