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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Oslo costs about 102% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.87 NOK 206

$8.02 COP 25.0K

172.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$127 NOK 1,200

$47.87 COP 149.4K

166.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.35 NOK 154

$9.89 COP 30.8K

65.32%

Cappuccino

$6.18 NOK 58.2

$3.13 COP 9,767

97.44%

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

$4.10 NOK 38.67

$1.91 COP 5,954

114.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 NOK 32.51

$1.51 COP 4,712

128.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.64 NOK 110

$3.12 COP 9,747

273.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.70 NOK 120

$5.75 COP 17.9K

120.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.65 NOK 24.98

$1.44 COP 4,509

84.03%

White Bread (500g)

$4.12 NOK 38.85

$2.49 COP 7,759

65.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.76 NOK 44.87

$1.77 COP 5,535

168.93%

Eggs

$6.14 NOK 57.9

$2.96 COP 9,235

107.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 NOK 138

$10.07 COP 31.4K

45.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.39 NOK 145

$10.12 COP 31.6K

52.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$29.69 NOK 280

$14.30 COP 44.6K

107.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.44 NOK 32.45

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-16.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.68 NOK 25.25

$1.61 COP 5,019

66.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.54 NOK 33.37

$2.25 COP 7,007

57.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.06 NOK 57.1

$2.25 COP 7,028

169.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 NOK 25.66

$2.04 COP 6,375

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 NOK 27.18

$1.54 COP 4,790

87.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.23 NOK 30.43

$1.17 COP 3,651

176.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 NOK 23.99

$1.31 COP 4,077

94.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.59 NOK 185

$3.90 COP 12.2K

402.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.63 NOK 157

$14.01 COP 43.7K

18.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.48 NOK 32.75

$1.74 COP 5,439

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 NOK 41.35

$2.87 COP 8,956

52.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.01 NOK 47.22

$1.22 COP 3,792

310.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 NOK 800

$80.5 COP 251.1K

5.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.33 NOK 116

$1.31 COP 4,084

841.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 NOK 17.59

$2.19 COP 6,825

-14.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$70.1 NOK 661

$8.71 COP 27.2K

705.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 NOK 21.39

$1.37 COP 4,260

65.69%

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

$50.2K NOK 473.1K

$27.8K COP 86.9M

80.37%

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

$45.5K NOK 428.8K

$35.8K COP 111.6M

27.21%

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

$425 NOK 4,008

$177 COP 553.2K

139.90%

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

$33.72 NOK 318

$13.88 COP 43.3K

142.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.5 NOK 542

$29.72 COP 92.8K

93.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.6 NOK 580

$44.88 COP 140.1K

37.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.20 NOK 275

$17.12 COP 53.4K

70.56%

Cinema Ticket

$19.46 NOK 183

$6.65 COP 20.7K

192.63%

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

$244 NOK 2,302

$813 COP 2.5M

-69.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K NOK 148.0K

$9,187 COP 28.7M

71.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 NOK 976

$89.5 COP 279.3K

15.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.1 NOK 576

$59.0 COP 184.0K

3.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 NOK 1,273

$138 COP 431.2K

-2.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 NOK 1,492

$102 COP 318.7K

55.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,026 NOK 19.1K

$1,062 COP 3.3M

90.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,568 NOK 14.8K

$663 COP 2.1M

136.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,062 NOK 28.9K

$1,888 COP 5.9M

62.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,302 NOK 21.7K

$1,027 COP 3.2M

124.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.0K NOK 112.8K

$4,183 COP 13.1M

186.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,933 NOK 65.3K

$1,675 COP 5.2M

314.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,691 NOK 44.2K

$678 COP 2.1M

592.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.98

10.94

-54.48%

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

Last update for Oslo: September 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,026 in Oslo versus $1,062 in Medellin. 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 $127 in Oslo versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $516 vs $305 – 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

Oslo vs Medellin: 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 $5,090 per month in Oslo and $2,521 in Medellin. 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 $127 in Oslo and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,393 in Oslo and $1,681 in Medellin. 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.