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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $3,393 in Oslo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $4,964 in Oslo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $6,535 in Oslo, rent included.

Medellin is about 50% cheaper than Oslo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Oslo sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Oslo by 148%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$21.87 NOK 206

-63.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$127 NOK 1,200

-62.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$16.35 NOK 154

-39.51%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$6.18 NOK 58.2

-49.35%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$4.10 NOK 38.67

-53.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$3.45 NOK 32.51

-56.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$11.64 NOK 110

-73.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$12.70 NOK 120

-54.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$2.65 NOK 24.98

-45.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$4.12 NOK 38.85

-39.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$4.76 NOK 44.87

-62.82%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$6.14 NOK 57.9

-51.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$14.66 NOK 138

-31.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$15.39 NOK 145

-34.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$29.69 NOK 280

-51.84%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$3.44 NOK 32.45

20.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$2.68 NOK 25.25

-39.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$3.54 NOK 33.37

-36.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$6.06 NOK 57.1

-62.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$2.72 NOK 25.66

-25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$2.88 NOK 27.18

-46.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$3.23 NOK 30.43

-63.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$2.55 NOK 23.99

-48.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$19.59 NOK 185

-80.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$16.63 NOK 157

-15.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$3.48 NOK 32.75

-50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$4.39 NOK 41.35

-34.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$5.01 NOK 47.22

-75.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$84.9 NOK 800

-5.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$12.33 NOK 116

-89.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$1.87 NOK 17.59

17.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$70.1 NOK 661

-87.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$2.27 NOK 21.39

-39.65%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$50.2K NOK 473.1K

-44.56%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$45.5K NOK 428.8K

-21.39%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$425 NOK 4,008

-58.32%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$33.72 NOK 318

-58.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$57.5 NOK 542

-48.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$61.6 NOK 580

-27.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$29.20 NOK 275

-41.37%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$19.46 NOK 183

-65.83%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$244 NOK 2,302

232.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$15.7K NOK 148.0K

-41.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$104 NOK 976

-13.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$61.1 NOK 576

-3.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$135 NOK 1,273

2.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$158 NOK 1,492

-35.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$2,026 NOK 19.1K

-47.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$1,568 NOK 14.8K

-57.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$3,062 NOK 28.9K

-38.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$2,302 NOK 21.7K

-55.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$12.0K NOK 112.8K

-65.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$6,933 NOK 65.3K

-75.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$4,691 NOK 44.2K

-85.55%

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 Oslo: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $2,026 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 592% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $127 in Oslo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $516 – 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 102%, 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 $5,090 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $127 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $3,393 in Oslo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Oslo at $3,393. 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.