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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $2,561 in Sarpsborg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $3,771 in Sarpsborg, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $4,982 in Sarpsborg, rent included.

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

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Sarpsborg is 91% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$37.65 NOK 357

-84.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$92.3 NOK 876

-63.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$18.53 NOK 176

-60.98%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$5.28 NOK 50.1

-69.13%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$2.68 NOK 25.40

-59.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$2.60 NOK 24.70

-71.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$5.89 NOK 55.9

-70.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$7.79 NOK 73.9

-58.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$2.26 NOK 21.41

-53.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$3.29 NOK 31.18

-60.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$3.14 NOK 29.85

-57.96%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$4.37 NOK 41.52

-48.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$11.93 NOK 113

-63.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$14.93 NOK 142

-60.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$28.14 NOK 267

-69.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$3.60 NOK 34.19

-37.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$2.47 NOK 23.46

-56.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$3.32 NOK 31.54

-54.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$4.35 NOK 41.26

-67.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$2.48 NOK 23.58

-52.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$2.49 NOK 23.67

-53.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$2.78 NOK 26.37

-67.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.82 NOK 17.24

-50.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$15.31 NOK 145

-85.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$19.10 NOK 181

-42.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$3.40 NOK 32.24

-66.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$3.99 NOK 37.88

-40.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$2.47 NOK 23.40

-65.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$74.1 NOK 703

-43.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$10.15 NOK 96.3

-86.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.40 NOK 13.30

35.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$45.99 NOK 437

-83.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$2.14 NOK 20.32

-52.80%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$36.1K NOK 342.9K

-51.34%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$38.6K NOK 366.1K

-31.31%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$238 NOK 2,263

-64.90%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$38.10 NOK 362

-75.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$56.1 NOK 532

-57.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$50.1 NOK 476

-49.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$36.13 NOK 343

-47.02%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$16.31 NOK 155

-74.86%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$284 NOK 2,692

10.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$10.1K NOK 95.8K

-40.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$97.6 NOK 926

-40.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$52.8 NOK 501

-38.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$109 NOK 1,033

-8.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$150 NOK 1,421

-27.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$1,209 NOK 11.5K

-60.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$903 NOK 8,572

-57.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$1,492 NOK 14.2K

-43.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$1,319 NOK 12.5K

-45.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$6,022 NOK 57.2K

-52.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$4,474 NOK 42.5K

-72.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$2,685 NOK 25.5K

-79.86%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Sarpsborg: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $1,209 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 396% 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 $92.0 in Sarpsborg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $457 – 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $3,841 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 $92.0 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $2,561 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 $1,017, than in Sarpsborg at $2,561. 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.