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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $2,546 in Sandnes, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $3,939 in Sandnes, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $5,332 in Sandnes, rent included.

Medellin is about 61% cheaper than Sandnes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 25% below the global median, while Sandnes is 91% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$28.71 NOK 272

-79.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$121 NOK 1,145

-72.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$13.34 NOK 127

-44.30%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$5.11 NOK 48.45

-67.71%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$3.45 NOK 32.72

-68.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$2.80 NOK 26.59

-72.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$9.94 NOK 94.2

-82.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$10.28 NOK 97.5

-69.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$2.10 NOK 19.95

-47.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$3.30 NOK 31.33

-61.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$3.16 NOK 29.92

-56.33%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$4.30 NOK 40.75

-49.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$12.83 NOK 122

-65.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$14.22 NOK 135

-59.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$36.40 NOK 345

-75.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$3.61 NOK 34.28

-35.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$2.52 NOK 23.86

-57.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$3.08 NOK 29.18

-50.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$4.76 NOK 45.09

-71.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$2.18 NOK 20.63

-48.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$2.26 NOK 21.39

-48.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$2.75 NOK 26.06

-67.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.86 NOK 17.62

-51.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$15.29 NOK 145

-85.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$16.73 NOK 159

-27.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$3.21 NOK 30.42

-62.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$3.99 NOK 37.83

-37.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$4.24 NOK 40.23

-79.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$69.6 NOK 660

-40.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$15.23 NOK 144

-90.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$2.08 NOK 19.69

-6.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$46.78 NOK 444

-83.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$2.12 NOK 20.10

-53.30%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$34.0K NOK 322.6K

-48.26%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$32.2K NOK 305.4K

-16.79%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$220 NOK 2,084

-62.22%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$43.97 NOK 417

-77.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$78.9 NOK 748

-70.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$49.31 NOK 468

-48.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$51.0 NOK 484

-62.57%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$17.91 NOK 170

-77.95%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$323 NOK 3,060

-2.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$9,185 NOK 87.1K

-34.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$118 NOK 1,118

-49.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$60.1 NOK 570

-47.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$107 NOK 1,011

-4.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$162 NOK 1,532

-33.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$1,241 NOK 11.8K

-61.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$880 NOK 8,346

-57.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$1,657 NOK 15.7K

-48.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$1,465 NOK 13.9K

-50.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$6,921 NOK 65.6K

-52.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$4,018 NOK 38.1K

-64.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$3,553 NOK 33.7K

-82.42%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Sandnes: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $1,241 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 469% 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: $193 vs $474 – 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 154%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $3,820 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 $1,003 in Medellin and $2,546 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 $1,003, than in Sandnes at $2,546. 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.