Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sandnes Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sandnes

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $2,551 in Sandnes, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $3,980 in Sandnes, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $5,409 in Sandnes, rent included.

Medellin is about 60% cheaper than Sandnes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Sandnes is 90% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$28.27 NOK 268

-78.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$121 NOK 1,153

-72.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$13.57 NOK 129

-46.72%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$5.02 NOK 47.61

-67.53%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$3.46 NOK 32.88

-68.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$2.85 NOK 27.02

-74.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$10.03 NOK 95.2

-82.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$10.26 NOK 97.4

-68.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$2.18 NOK 20.65

-51.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$3.40 NOK 32.31

-62.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$3.20 NOK 30.36

-58.75%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$4.16 NOK 39.48

-45.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$12.62 NOK 120

-65.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$13.92 NOK 132

-57.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$36.25 NOK 344

-76.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$3.55 NOK 33.70

-36.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$2.50 NOK 23.72

-57.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.96 NOK 28.14

-48.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$4.81 NOK 45.69

-70.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$2.18 NOK 20.69

-46.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$2.17 NOK 20.60

-46.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$2.72 NOK 25.83

-67.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.92 NOK 18.26

-53.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$14.91 NOK 142

-84.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$16.95 NOK 161

-34.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$3.29 NOK 31.24

-65.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$3.99 NOK 37.85

-40.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$4.04 NOK 38.36

-79.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$72.0 NOK 683

-41.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$15.21 NOK 144

-90.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$2.07 NOK 19.69

-8.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$46.16 NOK 438

-83.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$2.12 NOK 20.15

-52.36%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$34.4K NOK 326.1K

-48.83%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$33.0K NOK 313.5K

-19.77%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$220 NOK 2,085

-61.91%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$43.46 NOK 412

-78.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$80.2 NOK 761

-69.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$49.74 NOK 472

-49.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$49.92 NOK 474

-61.66%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$18.49 NOK 176

-77.83%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$314 NOK 2,978

-0.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$9,283 NOK 88.1K

-35.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$119 NOK 1,129

-51.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$59.0 NOK 560

-44.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$105 NOK 996

-5.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$158 NOK 1,502

-31.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$1,235 NOK 11.7K

-60.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$861 NOK 8,172

-55.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$1,658 NOK 15.7K

-49.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$1,462 NOK 13.9K

-50.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$7,089 NOK 67.3K

-59.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$4,048 NOK 38.4K

-69.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$3,655 NOK 34.7K

-85.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.4

205.23%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Sandnes: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $1,235 in Sandnes. 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 576% higher in Sandnes, 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 $121 in Sandnes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $473 – 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 Sandnes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sandnes is pricier by about 151%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $3,826 in Sandnes. 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 $121 in Sandnes. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,017 in Medellin and $2,551 in Sandnes. 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 $1,017, than in Sandnes at $2,551. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sandnes 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, Sandnes makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.