Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Narvik

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,639 a month against $2,530 in Narvik, rent and utilities included – about $10,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Narvik, Norway
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Narvik
🇳🇴 Norway
$2,530
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Narvik

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 Narvik actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $2,530 in Narvik, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Narvik $2,530

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $3,868 in Narvik, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Narvik $3,868

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $5,205 in Narvik, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Narvik $5,205

Medellin is about 35% cheaper than Narvik, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Medellin and Narvik sit above the global median – Medellin by 20%, Narvik by 86%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Narvik
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 26.1K
$32.33 NOK 297
-74.98%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 151.7K
$96.1 NOK 883
-51.05%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.6K
$16.33 NOK 150
-41.82%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,722
$4.91 NOK 45.08
-38.70%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,801
$3.00 NOK 27.53
-40.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,554
$2.87 NOK 26.36
-50.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 10.2K
$11.76 NOK 108
-72.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.5K
$12.36 NOK 114
-53.48%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Narvik
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,869
$2.59 NOK 23.83
-41.70%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,667
$3.34 NOK 30.65
-28.74%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,712
$2.71 NOK 24.89
-34.69%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,320
$5.24 NOK 48.17
-44.85%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.9K
$12.24 NOK 113
-16.75%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.8K
$14.93 NOK 137
-33.89%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 45.1K
$23.20 NOK 213
-39.70%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.8K
$4.01 NOK 36.89
-1.00%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 5,005
$2.20 NOK 20.19
-29.55%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,039
$4.86 NOK 44.62
-55.14%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,041
$4.49 NOK 41.21
-51.45%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,328
$2.65 NOK 24.38
-26.04%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,125
$5.00 NOK 45.92
-68.20%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,694
$2.97 NOK 27.31
-61.28%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 4,009
$2.13 NOK 19.57
-41.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.8K
$16.63 NOK 153
-76.19%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 44.1K
$17.47 NOK 160
-21.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,352
$3.52 NOK 32.30
-52.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,281
$3.84 NOK 35.27
-41.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Narvik
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,766
$4.66 NOK 42.84
-74.89%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 249.5K
$92.8 NOK 852
-16.61%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,089
$16.25 NOK 149
-92.18%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,603
$2.19 NOK 20.10
-6.39%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 27.6K
$54.6 NOK 501
-84.33%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,343
$2.43 NOK 22.35
-44.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 109.8M
$41.5K NOK 381.2K
-17.89%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 111.8M
$38.0K NOK 348.9K
-8.71%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Narvik
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 547.0K
$267 NOK 2,451
-36.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 43.7K
$50.6 NOK 465
-73.22%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 90.5K
$86.3 NOK 793
-67.47%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Narvik
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 140.9K
$56.6 NOK 520
-22.79%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 55.4K
$26.50 NOK 243
-35.13%
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 22.3K
$18.00 NOK 165
-61.61%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Narvik
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.6M
$317 NOK 2,908
151.65%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 29.4M
$7,842 NOK 72.0K
16.19%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Narvik
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 273.2K
$128 NOK 1,173
-33.66%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 186.9K
$35.69 NOK 328
62.40%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 435.2K
$143 NOK 1,315
-5.72%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 315.6K
$170 NOK 1,565
-42.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Narvik
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.9M
$942 NOK 8,659
28.16%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.1M
$745 NOK 6,841
-13.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.5M
$1,668 NOK 15.3K
21.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.3M
$1,264 NOK 11.6K
-19.97%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.4M
$5,411 NOK 49.7K
-22.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.2M
$4,898 NOK 45.0K
-61.00%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Narvik
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
$3,630 NOK 33.4K
-81.90%
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: October 25, 2026

Last update for Narvik: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Narvik
$745 16.1% $103
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Narvik
$463 55.8% $166
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Narvik
$404 91.1% $192
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Narvik
$474 179% $304
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Narvik
$215 27% $46
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Narvik
$139 48.2% $45
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Narvik
$93 61% $35

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $942 in Narvik. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Narvik are about 5.5 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $96 in Narvik. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $463 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇳🇴 Narvik
🕒 Local time
05:53 5:53 AM
11:53 11:53 AM
6 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
14,183
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

NOK, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 3,224 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,600 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

Norwegian Krone exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 9.19 NOK (1 NOK = 0.109 USD). 1 EUR = 10.26 NOK (100 NOK = 9.75 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Narvik 9,480 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Narvik

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 Narvik: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Narvik?
Yes – Narvik is pricier by about 54%, 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 $2,459 per month in Medellin and $3,796 in Narvik. 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 Narvik, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $942 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Narvik?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $96 in Narvik. 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 Narvik?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,639 in Medellin and $2,530 in Narvik. That makes Medellin about 35% cheaper.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Narvik?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,639, than in Narvik at $2,530. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Narvik it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Medellin or in Narvik?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,639 in Medellin to $2,530 in Narvik. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Narvik makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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