Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tromso Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tromso

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $2,965 in Tromso, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $4,410 in Tromso, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $5,854 in Tromso, rent included.

Medellin is about 65% cheaper than Tromso, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Tromso is 122% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$33.12 NOK 320

-81.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$121 NOK 1,166

-72.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$14.95 NOK 144

-50.90%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$6.11 NOK 59.1

-71.85%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$4.51 NOK 43.63

-76.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$3.36 NOK 32.46

-77.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$11.31 NOK 109

-85.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$11.00 NOK 106

-71.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.49 NOK 24.11

-57.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$3.19 NOK 30.85

-59.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$3.47 NOK 33.55

-59.65%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$4.86 NOK 47.00

-55.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$11.61 NOK 112

-62.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$15.21 NOK 147

-61.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$37.68 NOK 364

-77.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$3.86 NOK 37.27

-40.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.81 NOK 27.19

-60.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$3.56 NOK 34.46

-57.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$5.16 NOK 49.84

-73.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.98 NOK 28.85

-62.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$3.56 NOK 34.41

-68.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$2.68 NOK 25.93

-68.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.75 NOK 16.94

-48.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$15.11 NOK 146

-84.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$18.35 NOK 177

-32.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$3.64 NOK 35.14

-67.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$4.55 NOK 43.94

-45.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$4.69 NOK 45.31

-82.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$59.5 NOK 575

-31.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$12.71 NOK 123

-88.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.09 NOK 10.51

76.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$50.8 NOK 491

-84.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$2.23 NOK 21.59

-55.61%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$33.1K NOK 319.8K

-45.49%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$36.6K NOK 353.6K

-27.21%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$252 NOK 2,434

-67.91%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$47.54 NOK 460

-79.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$75.9 NOK 733

-68.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$47.75 NOK 462

-47.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$39.56 NOK 382

-51.59%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$16.45 NOK 159

-75.81%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$334 NOK 3,224

-8.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$7,348 NOK 71.0K

-17.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$91.0 NOK 880

-36.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$33.49 NOK 324

-3.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$134 NOK 1,292

-24.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$133 NOK 1,282

-18.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$1,352 NOK 13.1K

-64.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$1,258 NOK 12.2K

-70.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$2,549 NOK 24.6K

-66.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$1,815 NOK 17.5K

-59.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$8,817 NOK 85.2K

-63.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$5,188 NOK 50.1K

-73.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$4,066 NOK 39.3K

-84.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.27

214.52%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Tromso: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $1,352 in Tromso. 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 559% higher in Tromso, 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 $121 in Tromso. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $502 – 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 Tromso: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tromso is pricier by about 188%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $4,448 in Tromso. 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 $121 in Tromso. 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 $2,965 in Tromso. 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 Tromso at $2,965. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tromso 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, Tromso makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.