Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Lillehammer Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Lillehammer

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $2,009 in Lillehammer, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $2,951 in Lillehammer, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $3,892 in Lillehammer, rent included.

Medellin is about 49% cheaper than Lillehammer, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Lillehammer is 49% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$16.48 NOK 156

-63.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$79.5 NOK 755

-58.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$14.33 NOK 136

-49.55%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$4.75 NOK 45.10

-65.68%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$2.63 NOK 24.92

-58.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$2.20 NOK 20.91

-66.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$8.97 NOK 85.2

-80.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$6.70 NOK 63.6

-51.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$2.00 NOK 18.98

-47.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$2.03 NOK 19.28

-36.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$2.05 NOK 19.47

-35.61%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$3.07 NOK 29.10

-26.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$12.04 NOK 114

-63.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$10.31 NOK 97.8

-42.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$28.49 NOK 270

-69.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$3.61 NOK 34.22

-37.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$2.03 NOK 19.28

-47.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.59 NOK 24.63

-41.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$2.51 NOK 23.81

-43.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.54 NOK 14.61

-24.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$2.00 NOK 19.02

-41.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.31 NOK 12.42

-32.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$2.43 NOK 23.07

-62.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$14.13 NOK 134

-84.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$15.61 NOK 148

-29.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$3.64 NOK 34.56

-68.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$4.62 NOK 43.82

-48.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$2.57 NOK 24.38

-67.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$52.8 NOK 501

-20.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$5.83 NOK 55.3

-75.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.05 NOK 9.94

80.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$50.5 NOK 479

-84.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$2.13 NOK 20.24

-52.58%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$31.4K NOK 297.8K

-43.97%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$35.7K NOK 338.9K

-25.78%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$319 NOK 3,025

-73.74%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$43.18 NOK 410

-78.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$35.06 NOK 333

-31.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$51.5 NOK 489

-50.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$34.92 NOK 331

-45.19%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$12.09 NOK 115

-66.09%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$307 NOK 2,913

1.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$8,490 NOK 80.6K

-29.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$91.2 NOK 866

-36.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$29.96 NOK 284

8.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$69.9 NOK 664

42.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$129 NOK 1,223

-15.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$1,012 NOK 9,605

-52.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$599 NOK 5,686

-36.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$1,799 NOK 17.1K

-53.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$895 NOK 8,491

-19.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$5,923 NOK 56.2K

-52.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$2,668 NOK 25.3K

-54.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$2,073 NOK 19.7K

-73.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.32

210.88%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Lillehammer: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $1,012 in Lillehammer. 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 283% higher in Lillehammer, 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 $80.0 in Lillehammer. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $389 – 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 Lillehammer: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lillehammer costs about 98% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $3,013 in Lillehammer. 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.

Groceries cost about 105% more in Lillehammer, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $80.0 in Lillehammer. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Lillehammer at $2,009. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lillehammer it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,017 versus $2,009 in Lillehammer. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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