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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $2,388 in Kongsberg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $3,537 in Kongsberg, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $4,687 in Kongsberg, rent included.

Medellin is about 57% cheaper than Kongsberg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Kongsberg is 78% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$22.05 NOK 209

-73.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$70.1 NOK 665

-52.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$13.43 NOK 127

-46.17%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$4.82 NOK 45.73

-66.18%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$2.46 NOK 23.35

-55.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$2.21 NOK 20.98

-66.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$9.13 NOK 86.6

-80.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$10.07 NOK 95.6

-67.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$2.20 NOK 20.90

-52.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$3.14 NOK 29.85

-58.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$3.31 NOK 31.38

-60.12%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$4.79 NOK 45.45

-52.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$10.56 NOK 100

-58.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$11.80 NOK 112

-50.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$18.13 NOK 172

-52.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$3.11 NOK 29.47

-27.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$2.26 NOK 21.45

-52.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$3.30 NOK 31.34

-53.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$4.16 NOK 39.50

-65.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$2.27 NOK 21.56

-48.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$2.16 NOK 20.50

-45.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$2.98 NOK 28.28

-70.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.88 NOK 17.87

-52.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$17.04 NOK 162

-86.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$15.62 NOK 148

-29.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$3.18 NOK 30.14

-64.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$3.76 NOK 35.72

-36.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$2.51 NOK 23.84

-66.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$91.6 NOK 869

-54.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$9.92 NOK 94.2

-85.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.40 NOK 13.33

35.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$29.84 NOK 283

-74.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$2.11 NOK 20.07

-52.13%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$38.2K NOK 362.9K

-54.02%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$41.3K NOK 391.9K

-35.83%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$219 NOK 2,078

-61.78%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$27.18 NOK 258

-65.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$38.57 NOK 366

-37.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$43.84 NOK 416

-42.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$53.3 NOK 506

-64.08%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$20.31 NOK 193

-79.81%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$312 NOK 2,961

0.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$3,700 NOK 35.1K

61.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$89.0 NOK 844

-34.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$52.9 NOK 502

-38.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$158 NOK 1,501

-37.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$160 NOK 1,515

-31.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$1,021 NOK 9,694

-52.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$910 NOK 8,642

-58.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$1,720 NOK 16.3K

-51.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$1,589 NOK 15.1K

-54.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$6,266 NOK 59.5K

-54.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$4,167 NOK 39.5K

-70.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$3,562 NOK 33.8K

-84.82%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Kongsberg: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $1,021 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 559% 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 $70.0 in Kongsberg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $394 – 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 135%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $3,581 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $2,388 in Kongsberg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 118% 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 $1,017, than in Kongsberg at $2,388. 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.