Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Oslo Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Oslo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $3,203 in Oslo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $4,686 in Oslo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $6,170 in Oslo, rent included.

Medellin is about 68% cheaper than Oslo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Oslo is 140% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$25.37 NOK 245

-75.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$120 NOK 1,164

-72.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$14.96 NOK 145

-50.94%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$5.08 NOK 49.07

-66.14%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$4.10 NOK 39.66

-74.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$3.19 NOK 30.85

-75.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$12.37 NOK 120

-86.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$11.03 NOK 107

-71.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.40 NOK 23.24

-56.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$4.03 NOK 39.00

-67.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$3.67 NOK 35.50

-61.85%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$4.95 NOK 47.82

-56.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$13.66 NOK 132

-67.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$16.41 NOK 159

-64.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$31.39 NOK 303

-72.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$3.60 NOK 34.85

-36.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.63 NOK 25.44

-57.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$3.45 NOK 33.39

-55.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$5.07 NOK 48.98

-73.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.51 NOK 24.22

-54.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.71 NOK 26.22

-58.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$2.78 NOK 26.83

-69.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$2.41 NOK 23.25

-62.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$17.46 NOK 169

-86.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$18.64 NOK 180

-33.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$3.41 NOK 33.00

-64.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$4.35 NOK 42.06

-42.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$4.18 NOK 40.44

-79.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$79.6 NOK 769

-49.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$10.20 NOK 98.6

-86.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.41 NOK 13.60

36.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$41.75 NOK 404

-81.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$2.27 NOK 21.96

-56.39%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$36.7K NOK 354.3K

-50.81%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$42.3K NOK 409.3K

-37.11%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$296 NOK 2,863

-72.71%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$31.29 NOK 302

-68.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$55.5 NOK 536

-56.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$57.4 NOK 554

-56.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$28.40 NOK 275

-32.57%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$18.01 NOK 174

-77.90%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$274 NOK 2,653

11.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$14.7K NOK 141.9K

-58.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$103 NOK 999

-43.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$64.5 NOK 623

-50.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$121 NOK 1,169

-16.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$168 NOK 1,620

-35.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$1,700 NOK 16.4K

-71.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$1,441 NOK 13.9K

-73.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$2,677 NOK 25.9K

-68.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$2,180 NOK 21.1K

-66.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$11.5K NOK 111.3K

-72.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$6,961 NOK 67.3K

-80.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$4,256 NOK 41.1K

-85.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.08

164.37%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Oslo: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $1,700 in Oslo. 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 590% higher in Oslo, 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 $120 in Oslo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $505 – 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 Oslo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Oslo is pricier by about 211%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $4,804 in Oslo. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $120 in Oslo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,031 in Medellin and $3,203 in Oslo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Oslo at $3,203. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Oslo 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, Oslo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.