Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Lillestrom Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Lillestrom

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $2,519 in Lillestrom.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $3,937 in Lillestrom.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $5,354 in Lillestrom.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 60% less than in Lillestrom, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 25% below, Lillestrom is 89% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$20.58 NOK 195

-71.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$103 NOK 973

-67.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$10.91 NOK 103

-31.90%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$4.84 NOK 45.88

-65.91%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$2.55 NOK 24.22

-56.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$2.19 NOK 20.81

-64.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$9.16 NOK 86.8

-81.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$10.04 NOK 95.2

-68.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$2.13 NOK 20.22

-48.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$3.35 NOK 31.75

-62.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$3.15 NOK 29.87

-56.19%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$4.32 NOK 40.98

-49.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$11.53 NOK 109

-61.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$13.93 NOK 132

-58.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$24.85 NOK 236

-63.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$3.05 NOK 28.88

-23.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$2.25 NOK 21.31

-52.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$3.35 NOK 31.81

-54.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$4.08 NOK 38.73

-66.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$2.22 NOK 21.09

-49.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$2.15 NOK 20.39

-45.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.98 NOK 18.74

-54.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.89 NOK 17.88

-52.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$14.21 NOK 135

-84.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$16.81 NOK 159

-27.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$3.18 NOK 30.18

-62.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$3.91 NOK 37.06

-36.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$4.24 NOK 40.18

-79.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$72.3 NOK 686

-42.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$5.02 NOK 47.61

-71.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.39 NOK 13.20

40.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$61.8 NOK 586

-87.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$2.16 NOK 20.44

-54.17%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$35.2K NOK 334.2K

-50.06%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$30.8K NOK 292.3K

-13.08%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$61.5 NOK 583

34.93%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$44.27 NOK 420

-78.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$38.60 NOK 366

-39.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$70.7 NOK 670

-64.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$17.36 NOK 165

10.02%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$14.59 NOK 138

-72.93%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$240 NOK 2,280

31.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$4,151 NOK 39.4K

43.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$97.6 NOK 926

-38.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$46.42 NOK 440

-31.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$99.4 NOK 942

2.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$174 NOK 1,650

-38.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$1,238 NOK 11.7K

-61.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$1,238 NOK 11.7K

-69.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$2,523 NOK 23.9K

-66.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$2,199 NOK 20.9K

-67.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$5,590 NOK 53.0K

-41.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$4,151 NOK 39.4K

-65.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$3,710 NOK 35.2K

-83.17%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Lillestrom: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $1,238 in Lillestrom. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lillestrom pays 494% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $103 in Lillestrom for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $425 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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 Lillestrom: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 151% lower than in Lillestrom. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 494% lower in Lillestrom. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $475 in Medellin versus $1,238 in Lillestrom. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $316 in Medellin versus $240 in Lillestrom. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 120% higher in Lillestrom. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $2,519 in Lillestrom, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Lillestrom. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,003 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Lillestrom are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 151% less than in Lillestrom. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.