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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $3,141 in Oslo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $4,597 in Oslo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $6,053 in Oslo, rent included.

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

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Oslo is 134% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.3K

$25.53 NOK 238

-76.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 116.9K

$123 NOK 1,144

-73.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.2K

$15.15 NOK 141

-53.20%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,093

$4.86 NOK 45.41

-64.81%

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

$1.10 COP 3,910

$4.08 NOK 38.14

-73.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,771

$3.19 NOK 29.79

-75.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,976

$12.02 NOK 112

-86.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$11.22 NOK 105

-72.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,892

$2.39 NOK 22.35

-54.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,492

$4.09 NOK 38.17

-69.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,905

$3.66 NOK 34.19

-62.30%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,799

$5.03 NOK 47.00

-56.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$13.46 NOK 126

-67.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.0K

$16.04 NOK 150

-64.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.6K

$30.76 NOK 287

-71.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,319

$3.49 NOK 32.63

-32.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,764

$2.63 NOK 24.53

-59.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,355

$3.35 NOK 31.32

-55.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,906

$5.16 NOK 48.20

-73.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,097

$2.43 NOK 22.69

-52.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,141

$2.71 NOK 25.33

-57.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,170

$2.85 NOK 26.61

-68.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,986

$2.34 NOK 21.84

-64.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,116

$17.19 NOK 160

-86.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$18.93 NOK 177

-43.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,268

$3.35 NOK 31.28

-64.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,793

$4.38 NOK 40.87

-43.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,045

$4.31 NOK 40.20

-80.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

$77.9 NOK 727

-46.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,245

$10.04 NOK 93.8

-85.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,984

$1.38 NOK 12.93

42.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.5K

$42.24 NOK 394

-81.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,397

$2.18 NOK 20.34

-56.42%

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

$18.1K COP 64.5M

$36.5K NOK 340.5K

-50.29%

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

$26.5K COP 94.2M

$42.7K NOK 398.5K

-37.94%

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

$82.3 COP 292.7K

$304 NOK 2,834

-72.91%

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

$9.50 COP 33.8K

$31.63 NOK 295

-69.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.2K

$57.0 NOK 532

-57.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.1K

$57.8 NOK 539

-55.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

$28.64 NOK 267

-33.66%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$18.01 NOK 168

-78.18%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$274 NOK 2,556

13.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.2M

$14.5K NOK 135.8K

-58.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 208.7K

$106 NOK 987

-44.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.1K

$65.4 NOK 611

-50.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.1K

$124 NOK 1,158

-17.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 385.8K

$168 NOK 1,572

-35.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$1,671 NOK 15.6K

-71.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$1,446 NOK 13.5K

-73.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$2,749 NOK 25.7K

-69.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$2,165 NOK 20.2K

-66.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$12.0K NOK 112.2K

-76.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$7,295 NOK 68.1K

-83.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$4,411 NOK 41.2K

-88.40%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Oslo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $1,671 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 762% 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 $122 in Oslo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $500 – 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 210%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $4,711 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 $122 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $3,141 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 $1,013, than in Oslo at $3,141. 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.