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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $2,773 in Stavanger, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $4,172 in Stavanger, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $5,570 in Stavanger, rent included.

Medellin is about 63% cheaper than Stavanger, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Stavanger is 108% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$25.16 NOK 238

-76.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$120 NOK 1,137

-72.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$14.88 NOK 141

-50.13%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$5.21 NOK 49.33

-68.33%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$3.91 NOK 37.04

-72.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$3.35 NOK 31.75

-77.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$10.96 NOK 104

-84.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$10.32 NOK 97.8

-68.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$2.34 NOK 22.21

-55.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$3.14 NOK 29.78

-58.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$4.45 NOK 42.15

-69.89%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$4.47 NOK 42.30

-51.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$13.02 NOK 123

-66.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$16.38 NOK 155

-65.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$27.93 NOK 265

-69.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$3.59 NOK 34.00

-34.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$2.55 NOK 24.13

-56.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$3.06 NOK 28.99

-50.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$4.74 NOK 44.89

-71.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$2.15 NOK 20.36

-46.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$2.91 NOK 27.57

-59.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$2.53 NOK 23.96

-66.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$1.74 NOK 16.51

-50.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$14.98 NOK 142

-84.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$18.43 NOK 175

-37.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$3.62 NOK 34.32

-66.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$4.14 NOK 39.23

-40.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$4.45 NOK 42.11

-82.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$68.1 NOK 645

-40.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$15.31 NOK 145

-90.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$2.13 NOK 20.21

-9.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$100 NOK 951

-92.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$2.22 NOK 21.07

-54.50%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$34.2K NOK 324.3K

-48.43%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$33.3K NOK 315.6K

-20.60%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$191 NOK 1,812

-57.60%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$42.07 NOK 398

-77.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$81.5 NOK 772

-70.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$55.9 NOK 530

-53.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$35.10 NOK 332

-46.70%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$18.95 NOK 180

-78.42%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$314 NOK 2,976

0.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$12.8K NOK 121.5K

-53.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$117 NOK 1,110

-49.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$60.1 NOK 569

-46.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$105 NOK 994

-3.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$156 NOK 1,480

-32.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$1,591 NOK 15.1K

-69.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$1,148 NOK 10.9K

-68.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$2,775 NOK 26.3K

-70.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$1,773 NOK 16.8K

-58.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$6,070 NOK 57.5K

-50.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$5,176 NOK 49.0K

-74.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$4,897 NOK 46.4K

-88.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.51

197.78%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $1,591 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 789% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $120 in Stavanger. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $471 – 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 170%, 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 $1,542 per month in Medellin and $4,160 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $120 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 $1,028 in Medellin and $2,773 in Stavanger. 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 $1,028, than in Stavanger at $2,773. 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.