Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sarpsborg Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sarpsborg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,030 per month in Medellin vs $2,496 in Sarpsborg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $3,763 in Sarpsborg, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $5,030 in Sarpsborg, rent included.

Medellin is about 59% cheaper than Sarpsborg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Sarpsborg is 86% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.2K

$38.11 NOK 354

-84.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 COP 118.7K

$95.2 NOK 885

-65.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 COP 25.9K

$18.27 NOK 170

-60.32%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,137

$5.25 NOK 48.85

-67.43%

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

$1.09 COP 3,915

$2.74 NOK 25.44

-60.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,743

$2.56 NOK 23.79

-69.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 COP 6,254

$6.24 NOK 58.1

-71.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 11.4K

$7.89 NOK 73.4

-59.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,792

$2.22 NOK 20.61

-52.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,657

$3.28 NOK 30.50

-60.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,926

$3.32 NOK 30.86

-58.43%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,908

$4.43 NOK 41.21

-50.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 COP 16.2K

$12.12 NOK 113

-62.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.7K

$14.90 NOK 139

-61.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 32.1K

$28.08 NOK 261

-68.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 COP 8,182

$3.48 NOK 32.38

-34.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,791

$2.48 NOK 23.07

-57.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 5,411

$3.41 NOK 31.71

-55.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,869

$4.38 NOK 40.76

-68.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,146

$2.45 NOK 22.76

-52.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,174

$2.54 NOK 23.62

-53.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,960

$2.75 NOK 25.59

-69.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 3,043

$1.92 NOK 17.86

-55.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,423

$14.92 NOK 139

-84.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 COP 39.7K

$19.21 NOK 179

-42.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,133

$3.34 NOK 31.03

-65.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,853

$4.08 NOK 37.91

-39.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,827

$2.49 NOK 23.17

-68.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

$74.4 NOK 691

-43.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,140

$10.19 NOK 94.8

-85.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,793

$1.39 NOK 12.92

36.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 COP 27.6K

$47.55 NOK 442

-83.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,680

$2.03 NOK 18.89

-49.26%

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

$17.7K COP 63.3M

$35.1K NOK 326.0K

-49.55%

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

$27.0K COP 96.7M

$38.2K NOK 354.9K

-29.21%

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

$81.4 COP 291.4K

$240 NOK 2,232

-66.08%

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

$9.42 COP 33.7K

$37.83 NOK 352

-75.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.77 COP 85.1K

$56.0 NOK 521

-57.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 92.6K

$49.58 NOK 461

-47.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

$36.07 NOK 335

-46.38%

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 14.5K

$16.71 NOK 155

-75.76%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$279 NOK 2,593

12.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,067 COP 21.7M

$10.1K NOK 93.6K

-39.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 210.7K

$96.6 NOK 898

-39.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 117.5K

$51.3 NOK 477

-36.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 359.6K

$108 NOK 1,003

-6.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 380.3K

$154 NOK 1,437

-31.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.8M

$1,222 NOK 11.4K

-59.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$904 NOK 8,404

-58.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,514 NOK 14.1K

-44.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

$1,342 NOK 12.5K

-46.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

$6,929 NOK 64.4K

-57.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

$4,477 NOK 41.6K

-68.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.38

206.62%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Last update for Sarpsborg: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Medellin versus $1,222 in Sarpsborg. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33 in Medellin versus $95 in Sarpsborg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $459 – 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 Sarpsborg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sarpsborg is pricier by about 142%, 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 $1,544 per month in Medellin and $3,744 in Sarpsborg. 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 $95.0 in Sarpsborg. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,030 in Medellin and $2,496 in Sarpsborg. 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 $1,030, than in Sarpsborg at $2,496. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sarpsborg 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, Sarpsborg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.