Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Grimstad Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Grimstad

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $2,376 in Grimstad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $3,522 in Grimstad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $4,667 in Grimstad.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 57% less than in Grimstad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 24% below, Grimstad is 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$23.19 NOK 216

-74.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$50.5 NOK 470

-34.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$14.85 NOK 138

-52.26%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$4.59 NOK 42.73

-62.75%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$4.13 NOK 38.41

-73.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$3.30 NOK 30.70

-76.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$12.12 NOK 113

-86.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$10.08 NOK 93.9

-69.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$2.37 NOK 22.08

-54.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$3.17 NOK 29.52

-60.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$3.02 NOK 28.12

-54.30%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$3.28 NOK 30.51

-33.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$10.70 NOK 99.6

-58.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$13.68 NOK 127

-58.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$16.50 NOK 154

-46.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$1.98 NOK 18.40

18.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$2.34 NOK 21.75

-54.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$3.44 NOK 32.00

-56.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$3.98 NOK 37.07

-65.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$2.51 NOK 23.36

-54.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$2.69 NOK 25.09

-56.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$2.85 NOK 26.50

-68.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$1.79 NOK 16.70

-53.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$17.44 NOK 162

-86.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$15.90 NOK 148

-33.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$3.35 NOK 31.17

-64.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$4.30 NOK 40.04

-42.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$5.00 NOK 46.53

-82.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$76.8 NOK 715

-46.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$10.17 NOK 94.7

-85.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$1.45 NOK 13.54

35.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$41.98 NOK 391

-81.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$2.17 NOK 20.24

-56.22%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$36.0K NOK 335.4K

-49.68%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$42.7K NOK 397.2K

-37.92%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$305 NOK 2,839

-73.03%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$27.64 NOK 257

-65.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$56.3 NOK 524

-56.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$50.1 NOK 467

-48.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$35.26 NOK 328

-46.11%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$14.95 NOK 139

-73.71%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$271 NOK 2,518

14.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$14.9K NOK 139.0K

-60.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$49.92 NOK 465

17.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$61.6 NOK 573

-47.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$100 NOK 932

2.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$163 NOK 1,520

-33.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$1,214 NOK 11.3K

-60.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$891 NOK 8,297

-57.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,790 NOK 16.7K

-53.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$1,535 NOK 14.3K

-52.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$4,641 NOK 43.2K

-88.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.9

174.08%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Grimstad: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $1,214 in Grimstad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Grimstad pays 807% 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 $51.0 in Grimstad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $391 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 Grimstad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 135% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Grimstad earns 807% 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: $476 in Medellin versus $1,214 in Grimstad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $2,376 in Grimstad – a 135% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 86% less than in Grimstad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $2,376 in Grimstad, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Grimstad. 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 Grimstad, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Grimstad 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 135% less than in Grimstad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.