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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $1,483 in Lillehammer, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $2,381 in Lillehammer, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $3,279 in Lillehammer, rent included.

Medellin costs about 14% more than Lillehammer, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Lillehammer sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Lillehammer by 8%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$16.85 NOK 157

-53.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$85.4 NOK 798

-47.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$14.05 NOK 131

-33.88%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$4.93 NOK 46.08

-41.18%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$3.53 NOK 32.92

-48.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$2.38 NOK 22.19

-34.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$10.70 NOK 99.9

-69.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$7.50 NOK 70.0

-21.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$2.50 NOK 23.39

-44.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$3.54 NOK 33.06

-30.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$3.80 NOK 35.50

-60.26%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$5.00 NOK 46.73

-44.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$13.37 NOK 125

-32.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$16.63 NOK 155

-35.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$32.02 NOK 299

-54.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$3.85 NOK 36.00

3.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$3.02 NOK 28.18

-54.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$3.79 NOK 35.40

-39.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$5.81 NOK 54.2

-65.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$2.86 NOK 26.70

-26.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$3.06 NOK 28.60

-46.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$2.85 NOK 26.57

-62.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$2.35 NOK 21.90

-46.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$17.50 NOK 163

-76.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$18.52 NOK 173

-27.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$3.60 NOK 33.64

-55.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$4.67 NOK 43.63

-35.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$2.39 NOK 22.28

-50.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$9.24 NOK 86.3

-82.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$1.62 NOK 15.14

31.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$60.3 NOK 563

-85.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$2.22 NOK 20.76

-39.19%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$45.8K NOK 427.7K

-38.15%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$45.8K NOK 428.1K

-22.14%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$274 NOK 2,559

-44.75%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$36.41 NOK 340

-64.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$83.3 NOK 778

-61.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$20.49 NOK 191

-68.62%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$301 NOK 2,813

177.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$4,465 NOK 41.7K

99.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$110 NOK 1,031

-19.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$51.1 NOK 478

8.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$120 NOK 1,119

13.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$161 NOK 1,506

-32.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$1,081 NOK 10.1K

-11.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$3,253 NOK 30.4K

13.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$1,358 NOK 12.7K

16.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$2,102 NOK 19.6K

-70.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

5.32

96.05%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Lillehammer: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Medellin versus $1,081 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 236% higher in Lillehammer, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Medellin versus $85.0 in Lillehammer. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $515 – 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

Medellin costs about 14% more than Lillehammer, 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 $2,530 per month in Medellin and $2,225 in Lillehammer. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lillehammer, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Medellin and $85.0 in Lillehammer. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 73% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Lillehammer, where all-in costs run around $1,483, than in Medellin at $1,687. In Lillehammer it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Lillehammer costs $1,483 versus $1,687 in Medellin. 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 Lillehammer. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.