Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Trondheim

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,614 a month against $2,827 in Trondheim, rent and utilities included – about $14,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,614
/mo nomad
Trondheim
🇳🇴 Norway
$2,827
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Trondheim

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Trondheim actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,614 per month in Medellin vs $2,827 in Trondheim, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,614
  • Trondheim $2,827

A couple spends around $2,402 per month in Medellin vs $4,156 in Trondheim, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,402
  • Trondheim $4,156

A family of three spends $3,190 per month in Medellin vs $5,485 in Trondheim, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,190
  • Trondheim $5,485

Medellin is about 43% cheaper than Trondheim, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Medellin and Trondheim sit above the global median – Medellin by 20%, Trondheim by 109%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Trondheim
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.93 COP 25.2K
$20.78 NOK 196
-61.84%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.13 COP 146.3K
$104 NOK 982
-55.77%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.1K
$15.59 NOK 147
-39.06%
Cappuccino
$3.11 COP 9,866
$5.39 NOK 50.7
-42.30%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 COP 5,800
$5.67 NOK 53.4
-67.72%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 COP 4,360
$4.30 NOK 40.47
-67.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.05 COP 9,672
$13.06 NOK 123
-76.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.50 COP 17.4K
$12.63 NOK 119
-56.45%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Trondheim
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.45 COP 4,600
$2.42 NOK 22.80
-40.08%
White Bread (500g)
$2.36 COP 7,496
$3.31 NOK 31.20
-28.70%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.68 COP 5,328
$3.74 NOK 35.21
-55.08%
Eggs
$2.86 COP 9,077
$4.75 NOK 44.75
-39.79%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.3K
$12.99 NOK 122
-21.56%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.53 COP 30.2K
$16.19 NOK 152
-41.14%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.04 COP 44.5K
$31.12 NOK 293
-54.88%
Apples (1kg)
$4.07 COP 12.9K
$3.94 NOK 37.08
3.30%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 COP 4,742
$2.80 NOK 26.39
-46.43%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.17 COP 6,891
$3.75 NOK 35.35
-42.13%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.31 COP 7,310
$5.45 NOK 51.3
-57.61%
Potato (1kg)
$1.93 COP 6,113
$2.89 NOK 27.16
-33.22%
Onion (1kg)
$1.64 COP 5,196
$2.97 NOK 27.96
-44.78%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 COP 3,571
$2.94 NOK 27.63
-61.56%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.25 COP 3,954
$2.29 NOK 21.53
-45.41%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.99 COP 12.6K
$17.27 NOK 163
-76.90%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.35 COP 42.3K
$18.04 NOK 170
-26.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 COP 5,384
$3.44 NOK 32.42
-50.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 COP 7,525
$4.45 NOK 41.85
-46.74%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Trondheim
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.21 COP 3,827
$4.66 NOK 43.84
-74.03%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.5 COP 242.5K
$99.3 NOK 935
-23.00%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.32 COP 4,179
$9.40 NOK 88.5
-85.96%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.14 COP 6,774
$1.61 NOK 15.20
32.92%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.47 COP 26.8K
$60.2 NOK 567
-85.93%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 COP 4,114
$2.40 NOK 22.63
-45.83%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K COP 88.7M
$44.9K NOK 422.5K
-37.64%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.4K COP 112.3M
$45.6K NOK 428.8K
-22.26%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Trondheim
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$172 COP 545.6K
$266 NOK 2,507
-35.38%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.37 COP 42.4K
$35.59 NOK 335
-62.43%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.73 COP 91.1K
$82.3 NOK 775
-65.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Trondheim
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.24 COP 143.5K
$41.67 NOK 392
8.57%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.04 COP 54.0K
$39.68 NOK 374
-57.06%
Cinema Ticket
$6.28 COP 19.9K
$20.51 NOK 193
-69.38%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Trondheim
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$770 COP 2.4M
$298 NOK 2,806
158.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,011 COP 28.6M
$4,363 NOK 41.1K
106.53%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Trondheim
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.4 COP 274.0K
$104 NOK 983
-17.27%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.1 COP 181.1K
$49.65 NOK 467
15.07%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$137 COP 432.9K
$122 NOK 1,144
12.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 310.4K
$157 NOK 1,478
-37.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Trondheim
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,055 COP 3.3M
$1,442 NOK 13.6K
-26.84%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$616 COP 2.0M
$1,123 NOK 10.6K
-45.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,892 COP 6.0M
$2,193 NOK 20.6K
-13.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,023 COP 3.2M
$1,675 NOK 15.8K
-38.94%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,059 COP 12.9M
$6,306 NOK 59.4K
-35.63%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,678 COP 5.3M
$5,032 NOK 47.4K
-66.64%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Trondheim
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$652 COP 2.1M
$4,145 NOK 39.0K
-84.26%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
5.32
105.64%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Last update for Trondheim: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$616
Trondheim
$1.1K 82.3% $507
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$295
Trondheim
$499 69.5% $205
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$214
Trondheim
$384 79.4% $170
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$170
Trondheim
$195 14.5% $25
Eating Out
Medellin
$168
Trondheim
$408 142% $240
Getting Around
Medellin
$93
Trondheim
$135 45.1% $42
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Trondheim
$83 43% $25

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,055 in Medellin versus $1,442 in Trondheim. 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 535% higher in Trondheim, 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 $46.00 in Medellin versus $104 in Trondheim. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $499 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇳🇴 Trondheim
🕒 Local time
20:04 8:04 PM
03:04 3:04 AM
7 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
215,121
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

NOK, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

Norwegian Krone exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 9.41 NOK (1 NOK = 0.106 USD). 1 EUR = 10.58 NOK (100 NOK = 9.45 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Trondheim 9,190 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Trondheim

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Trondheim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Trondheim cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Trondheim is pricier by about 75%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,421 per month in Medellin and $4,241 in Trondheim. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Trondheim?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Medellin and $104 in Trondheim. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Trondheim?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,614 in Medellin and $2,827 in Trondheim. That's a gap of about 75%.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Trondheim?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,614, than in Trondheim at $2,827. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Trondheim it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Trondheim more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Medellin or Trondheim?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Trondheim makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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