Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Stavanger Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Stavanger

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $3,202 in Stavanger, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $4,642 in Stavanger, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $6,082 in Stavanger, rent included.

Medellin is about 48% cheaper than Stavanger, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Stavanger sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Stavanger by 134%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$25.74 NOK 243

-68.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$97.4 NOK 917

-50.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$16.15 NOK 152

-38.76%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$6.37 NOK 60.0

-50.86%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$5.34 NOK 50.3

-64.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$4.43 NOK 41.75

-65.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$13.88 NOK 131

-77.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$12.16 NOK 115

-52.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$2.50 NOK 23.55

-42.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$3.60 NOK 33.96

-30.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$3.96 NOK 37.33

-55.30%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$5.05 NOK 47.55

-41.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$15.10 NOK 142

-33.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$17.22 NOK 162

-41.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$35.93 NOK 339

-60.20%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$3.71 NOK 34.97

11.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$2.78 NOK 26.20

-42.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$3.49 NOK 32.84

-35.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$5.04 NOK 47.53

-55.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$2.51 NOK 23.69

-18.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$3.12 NOK 29.43

-50.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$2.91 NOK 27.45

-59.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$2.42 NOK 22.84

-45.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$17.89 NOK 169

-78.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$18.83 NOK 177

-25.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$3.94 NOK 37.16

-55.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$4.51 NOK 42.46

-36.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$4.82 NOK 45.41

-74.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$87.4 NOK 824

-7.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$6.37 NOK 60.0

-79.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$1.72 NOK 16.18

27.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$106 NOK 1,003

-91.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$2.25 NOK 21.21

-39.11%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$49.6K NOK 467.6K

-43.90%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$42.3K NOK 398.5K

-15.42%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$251 NOK 2,362

-29.28%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$35.70 NOK 336

-61.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$83.6 NOK 788

-64.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$52.5 NOK 495

-14.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$37.19 NOK 350

-53.97%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$22.57 NOK 213

-70.54%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$330 NOK 3,112

146.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$14.5K NOK 136.6K

-36.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$131 NOK 1,230

-31.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$60.9 NOK 574

-3.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$158 NOK 1,492

-12.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$210 NOK 1,978

-51.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$1,708 NOK 16.1K

-37.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$1,391 NOK 13.1K

-52.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$2,794 NOK 26.3K

-32.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$2,084 NOK 19.6K

-50.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$6,179 NOK 58.2K

-32.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$5,479 NOK 51.6K

-69.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$5,006 NOK 47.2K

-86.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

5.27

107.59%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $1,708 in Stavanger. 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 639% higher in Stavanger, 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $97.0 in Stavanger. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $532 – 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 Stavanger: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Stavanger is pricier by about 91%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $4,803 in Stavanger. 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $97.0 in Stavanger. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $3,202 in Stavanger. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Stavanger at $3,202. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stavanger 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, Stavanger makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.