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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $2,531 in Sarpsborg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $3,800 in Sarpsborg, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $5,068 in Sarpsborg, rent included.

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

Medellin sits 25% below the global median, while Sarpsborg is 90% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$38.33 NOK 368

-84.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$92.9 NOK 891

-64.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$18.37 NOK 176

-59.55%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$5.45 NOK 52.3

-69.72%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$2.74 NOK 26.26

-59.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$2.50 NOK 23.96

-68.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$5.92 NOK 56.8

-70.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$7.85 NOK 75.3

-59.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$2.25 NOK 21.60

-51.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$3.43 NOK 32.87

-63.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$3.30 NOK 31.69

-58.18%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$4.35 NOK 41.68

-49.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$11.81 NOK 113

-61.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$14.83 NOK 142

-60.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$27.38 NOK 263

-67.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$3.53 NOK 33.89

-34.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$2.49 NOK 23.86

-57.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$3.31 NOK 31.78

-54.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$4.40 NOK 42.21

-69.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$2.45 NOK 23.51

-53.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$2.56 NOK 24.60

-54.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$2.76 NOK 26.52

-67.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$1.82 NOK 17.41

-50.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$15.07 NOK 145

-85.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$16.63 NOK 160

-27.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$3.28 NOK 31.48

-63.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$3.98 NOK 38.21

-37.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$2.51 NOK 24.12

-66.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

$73.1 NOK 701

-43.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$10.02 NOK 96.1

-85.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$1.45 NOK 13.93

34.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$46.91 NOK 450

-83.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$2.08 NOK 19.92

-52.40%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$36.1K NOK 346.1K

-51.22%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$39.2K NOK 376.1K

-31.66%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$238 NOK 2,282

-65.11%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$38.73 NOK 372

-74.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$55.2 NOK 529

-57.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$49.40 NOK 474

-48.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

$34.87 NOK 334

-45.23%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$16.78 NOK 161

-76.46%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$288 NOK 2,761

9.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$10.1K NOK 97.0K

-40.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$95.4 NOK 915

-37.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$52.7 NOK 506

-39.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$106 NOK 1,021

-4.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$151 NOK 1,449

-28.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$1,192 NOK 11.4K

-60.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$885 NOK 8,493

-57.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$1,532 NOK 14.7K

-44.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$1,290 NOK 12.4K

-44.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

$5,754 NOK 55.2K

-43.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

$4,063 NOK 39.0K

-64.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$2,612 NOK 25.1K

-76.09%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Sarpsborg: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $1,192 in Sarpsborg. 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 318% higher in Sarpsborg, 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 $93.0 in Sarpsborg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $450 – 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 152%, 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 $3,796 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 $93.0 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 $1,003 in Medellin and $2,531 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 $1,003, than in Sarpsborg at $2,531. 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.