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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $2,690 in Kongsberg, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $4,006 in Kongsberg, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $5,323 in Kongsberg, rent included.

Medellin is about 38% cheaper than Kongsberg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Kongsberg sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Kongsberg by 97%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$21.13 NOK 199

-62.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$74.0 NOK 697

-35.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$16.39 NOK 154

-39.66%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$5.30 NOK 49.92

-40.94%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$4.09 NOK 38.50

-53.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$3.40 NOK 32.05

-55.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$11.78 NOK 111

-73.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$10.66 NOK 100

-46.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$2.64 NOK 24.85

-45.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$3.18 NOK 29.94

-21.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$4.71 NOK 44.38

-62.42%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$5.10 NOK 48.08

-41.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$11.08 NOK 104

-9.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$12.49 NOK 118

-18.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$18.77 NOK 177

-23.81%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$3.29 NOK 31.01

25.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$2.66 NOK 25.06

-39.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$3.53 NOK 33.29

-36.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$4.93 NOK 46.41

-54.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$2.69 NOK 25.37

-24.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$2.54 NOK 23.91

-39.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$3.07 NOK 28.94

-61.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$2.46 NOK 23.17

-46.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$18.05 NOK 170

-78.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$16.19 NOK 153

-13.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$3.50 NOK 32.98

-50.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$3.99 NOK 37.57

-28.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$3.18 NOK 29.95

-61.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$96.1 NOK 906

-16.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$12.44 NOK 117

-89.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$1.85 NOK 17.40

18.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$31.91 NOK 301

-72.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$2.34 NOK 22.07

-41.45%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$48.9K NOK 460.8K

-43.10%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$44.8K NOK 421.9K

-20.12%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$323 NOK 3,045

-45.15%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$28.89 NOK 272

-51.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$56.3 NOK 530

-47.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$47.47 NOK 447

-5.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

$56.7 NOK 534

-69.79%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$19.37 NOK 182

-65.67%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$250 NOK 2,355

225.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$3,926 NOK 37.0K

133.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$94.5 NOK 890

-5.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$56.1 NOK 529

5.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$135 NOK 1,275

2.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$158 NOK 1,489

-35.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$1,088 NOK 10.2K

-2.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$1,058 NOK 9,970

-37.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$2,046 NOK 19.3K

-7.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$1,712 NOK 16.1K

-40.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$6,368 NOK 60.0K

-34.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$4,275 NOK 40.3K

-60.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$3,695 NOK 34.8K

-81.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.98

119.68%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Kongsberg: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $1,088 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 445% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $74.0 in Kongsberg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $433 – 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 60%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $4,035 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $2,690 in Kongsberg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 19% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Kongsberg at $2,690. 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.