Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Narvik Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Narvik

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $2,529 in Narvik, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $3,902 in Narvik, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $5,276 in Narvik, rent included.

Medellin is about 34% cheaper than Narvik, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Narvik sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Narvik by 85%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$32.77 NOK 309

-75.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$94.8 NOK 893

-49.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$15.78 NOK 149

-37.33%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$5.11 NOK 48.15

-38.75%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$3.00 NOK 28.25

-36.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$2.89 NOK 27.21

-47.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$11.84 NOK 112

-73.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$12.26 NOK 116

-53.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$2.52 NOK 23.75

-42.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$3.37 NOK 31.79

-26.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$2.72 NOK 25.63

-34.93%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$5.38 NOK 50.7

-44.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$11.98 NOK 113

-15.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$15.25 NOK 144

-33.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$23.46 NOK 221

-39.05%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$3.82 NOK 36.00

8.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$2.09 NOK 19.68

-22.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$4.87 NOK 45.85

-53.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$4.47 NOK 42.08

-49.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$2.66 NOK 25.05

-23.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$4.84 NOK 45.60

-68.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$2.97 NOK 27.95

-60.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$2.24 NOK 21.15

-41.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$16.43 NOK 155

-76.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$16.14 NOK 152

-13.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$3.47 NOK 32.71

-49.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$3.83 NOK 36.13

-25.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$4.62 NOK 43.57

-73.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$92.7 NOK 873

-13.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$15.91 NOK 150

-91.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$2.08 NOK 19.59

5.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$54.6 NOK 514

-84.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$2.22 NOK 20.89

-38.29%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$40.5K NOK 381.4K

-31.22%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$38.7K NOK 364.9K

-7.63%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$260 NOK 2,454

-31.91%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$51.4 NOK 484

-72.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$85.2 NOK 803

-65.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$56.6 NOK 534

-20.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$27.16 NOK 256

-36.97%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$17.37 NOK 164

-61.72%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$320 NOK 3,017

153.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$7,707 NOK 72.6K

19.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$126 NOK 1,190

-29.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$35.09 NOK 331

68.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$143 NOK 1,352

-3.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$168 NOK 1,584

-39.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$930 NOK 8,766

14.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$745 NOK 7,019

-11.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$1,670 NOK 15.7K

13.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$1,229 NOK 11.6K

-16.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$5,415 NOK 51.0K

-22.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$4,789 NOK 45.1K

-65.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$3,580 NOK 33.7K

-81.07%

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 Narvik: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $930 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 run about 428% higher in Narvik, 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 $95.0 in Narvik. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $461 – 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 Narvik: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Narvik is pricier by about 50%, 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 $3,793 in Narvik. 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 $95.0 in Narvik. 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 $2,529 in Narvik. 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 Narvik at $2,529. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Narvik 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, Narvik makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.