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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $3,190 in Tromso, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $4,751 in Tromso, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $6,312 in Tromso, rent included.

Medellin is about 47% cheaper than Tromso, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Tromso sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Tromso by 133%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$34.61 NOK 326

-76.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$107 NOK 1,004

-55.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$16.18 NOK 152

-38.88%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$6.72 NOK 63.3

-53.42%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$4.91 NOK 46.26

-61.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$3.85 NOK 36.30

-60.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$12.64 NOK 119

-75.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$13.72 NOK 129

-58.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$2.59 NOK 24.40

-44.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$3.47 NOK 32.71

-28.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$4.10 NOK 38.61

-56.83%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$5.39 NOK 50.8

-45.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$12.33 NOK 116

-18.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$14.79 NOK 139

-31.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$41.82 NOK 394

-65.81%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$4.12 NOK 38.80

0.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$3.14 NOK 29.54

-48.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$5.34 NOK 50.4

-57.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$6.08 NOK 57.3

-62.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$3.58 NOK 33.71

-43.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$4.81 NOK 45.31

-67.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$3.09 NOK 29.12

-62.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$2.13 NOK 20.04

-38.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$16.76 NOK 158

-76.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$16.29 NOK 154

-14.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$4.13 NOK 38.93

-57.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$5.01 NOK 47.22

-42.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$5.04 NOK 47.46

-75.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$67.9 NOK 640

18.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$15.77 NOK 149

-91.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$2.20 NOK 20.76

-0.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$56.4 NOK 531

-84.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$2.29 NOK 21.55

-40.17%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$49.4K NOK 465.8K

-43.69%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$45.8K NOK 431.4K

-21.86%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$262 NOK 2,466

-32.26%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$50.6 NOK 477

-72.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$87.3 NOK 823

-65.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$51.6 NOK 486

-13.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$48.57 NOK 458

-64.75%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$17.50 NOK 165

-62.00%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$325 NOK 3,058

150.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$7,802 NOK 73.5K

17.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$68.7 NOK 647

30.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$36.25 NOK 342

62.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$147 NOK 1,388

-6.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$168 NOK 1,582

-39.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$1,552 NOK 14.6K

-31.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$1,268 NOK 11.9K

-47.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$2,679 NOK 25.2K

-29.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$1,994 NOK 18.8K

-48.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$7,061 NOK 66.5K

-40.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$5,436 NOK 51.2K

-69.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$4,201 NOK 39.6K

-83.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

5.01

118.36%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Tromso: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $1,552 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 520% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $107 in Tromso. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $548 – 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 90%, 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 $4,785 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $107 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $3,190 in Tromso. 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 Tromso at $3,190. 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.