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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $2,281 in Narvik, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $3,445 in Narvik, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $4,609 in Narvik, rent included.

Medellin is about 55% cheaper than Narvik, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Narvik is 70% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$20.04 NOK 187

-70.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$92.2 NOK 860

-64.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$15.01 NOK 140

-52.03%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$5.45 NOK 50.8

-68.81%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$2.54 NOK 23.71

-56.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$2.56 NOK 23.82

-71.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$11.00 NOK 102

-84.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$11.20 NOK 104

-72.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$2.39 NOK 22.25

-55.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$3.30 NOK 30.77

-62.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$2.48 NOK 23.12

-43.95%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$4.81 NOK 44.80

-53.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$11.42 NOK 106

-62.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$15.34 NOK 143

-61.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$21.71 NOK 202

-59.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$3.28 NOK 30.59

-31.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.06 NOK 19.20

-47.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$3.55 NOK 33.12

-56.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$4.24 NOK 39.54

-67.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$2.49 NOK 23.24

-54.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$3.63 NOK 33.86

-69.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$2.73 NOK 25.45

-68.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.76 NOK 16.45

-48.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$15.26 NOK 142

-84.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$19.75 NOK 184

-43.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$3.34 NOK 31.12

-64.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$3.52 NOK 32.84

-32.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$5.16 NOK 48.11

-84.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$85.5 NOK 797

-51.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$12.90 NOK 120

-88.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.38 NOK 12.91

38.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$51.2 NOK 477

-84.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$2.08 NOK 19.43

-54.81%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$30.2K NOK 281.5K

-40.66%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$30.9K NOK 288.2K

-13.35%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$250 NOK 2,332

-66.45%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$48.29 NOK 450

-80.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$75.7 NOK 705

-68.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$55.0 NOK 512

-52.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$25.69 NOK 239

-25.89%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$17.03 NOK 159

-76.98%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$335 NOK 3,123

-8.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$7,159 NOK 66.7K

-17.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$90.7 NOK 845

-36.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$33.34 NOK 311

-4.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$132 NOK 1,233

-24.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$136 NOK 1,264

-21.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$938 NOK 8,738

-48.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$694 NOK 6,465

-46.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$1,557 NOK 14.5K

-46.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$1,174 NOK 10.9K

-39.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$5,382 NOK 50.2K

-45.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$4,879 NOK 45.5K

-71.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$3,657 NOK 34.1K

-85.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.27

214.52%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Narvik: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $938 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 570% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $92.0 in Narvik. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $436 – 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 121%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $3,421 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $92.0 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 $1,034 in Medellin and $2,281 in Narvik. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Narvik at $2,281. 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.