Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kongsberg Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kongsberg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $2,300 in Kongsberg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $3,510 in Kongsberg, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $4,721 in Kongsberg, rent included.

Medellin is about 55% cheaper than Kongsberg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Kongsberg is 72% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$21.91 NOK 204

-72.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$70.9 NOK 661

-53.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$13.25 NOK 123

-45.66%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$4.99 NOK 46.54

-65.93%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$2.45 NOK 22.85

-55.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$2.24 NOK 20.88

-67.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$9.06 NOK 84.5

-81.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$10.00 NOK 93.2

-69.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$2.09 NOK 19.46

-49.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$3.05 NOK 28.40

-59.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$3.30 NOK 30.74

-57.88%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$4.69 NOK 43.72

-51.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$10.45 NOK 97.4

-58.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$12.04 NOK 112

-51.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$18.33 NOK 171

-51.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$3.16 NOK 29.49

-29.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.28 NOK 21.24

-52.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$3.26 NOK 30.39

-53.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$4.22 NOK 39.31

-67.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$2.21 NOK 20.61

-48.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$2.15 NOK 20.00

-47.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$2.88 NOK 26.83

-70.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.90 NOK 17.67

-52.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$17.13 NOK 160

-86.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$16.32 NOK 152

-31.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$3.17 NOK 29.53

-62.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$3.89 NOK 36.24

-39.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$2.54 NOK 23.70

-68.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$89.4 NOK 833

-53.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$10.03 NOK 93.5

-85.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.38 NOK 12.85

38.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$29.84 NOK 278

-73.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$2.12 NOK 19.74

-55.66%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$38.4K NOK 357.8K

-53.32%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$40.0K NOK 372.4K

-32.95%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$215 NOK 2,006

-60.99%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$27.74 NOK 259

-65.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$37.36 NOK 348

-35.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$43.95 NOK 410

-41.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$53.6 NOK 500

-64.50%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$19.86 NOK 185

-80.26%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$302 NOK 2,815

1.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$3,684 NOK 34.3K

60.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$88.4 NOK 824

-34.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$51.7 NOK 482

-38.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$159 NOK 1,482

-37.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$163 NOK 1,515

-34.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$1,000 NOK 9,319

-51.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$882 NOK 8,224

-58.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$1,721 NOK 16.0K

-52.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$1,562 NOK 14.6K

-54.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$6,290 NOK 58.6K

-53.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$4,376 NOK 40.8K

-67.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$3,682 NOK 34.3K

-85.18%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Kongsberg: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $1,000 in Kongsberg. 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 575% higher in Kongsberg, 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 $71.0 in Kongsberg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $395 – 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 Kongsberg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Kongsberg is pricier by about 123%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $3,450 in Kongsberg. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $2,300 in Kongsberg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 117% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Kongsberg at $2,300. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kongsberg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Kongsberg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.