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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $2,695 in Stavanger, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $4,140 in Stavanger, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $5,584 in Stavanger, rent included.

Medellin is about 62% cheaper than Stavanger, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Stavanger is 101% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$25.22 NOK 235

-76.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$119 NOK 1,113

-72.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$15.32 NOK 143

-53.00%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$5.05 NOK 47.09

-66.34%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$4.01 NOK 37.36

-72.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$3.46 NOK 32.25

-79.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$11.16 NOK 104

-85.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$9.94 NOK 92.7

-68.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$2.45 NOK 22.84

-56.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$3.10 NOK 28.90

-59.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$4.61 NOK 42.97

-69.85%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$4.34 NOK 40.44

-47.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$12.93 NOK 120

-66.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$16.27 NOK 152

-64.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$27.67 NOK 258

-68.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$3.41 NOK 31.76

-34.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.62 NOK 24.42

-58.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$3.01 NOK 28.07

-49.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$4.55 NOK 42.42

-69.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$2.07 NOK 19.28

-45.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$2.99 NOK 27.85

-62.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$2.47 NOK 23.00

-65.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.84 NOK 17.14

-50.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$15.09 NOK 141

-84.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$19.20 NOK 179

-42.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$3.55 NOK 33.07

-66.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$4.01 NOK 37.39

-40.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$4.48 NOK 41.78

-82.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$66.9 NOK 623

-38.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$15.00 NOK 140

-90.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$2.09 NOK 19.44

-8.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$102 NOK 951

-92.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$2.11 NOK 19.66

-55.45%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$33.8K NOK 315.5K

-47.05%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$33.0K NOK 307.7K

-18.87%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$191 NOK 1,782

-56.08%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$43.15 NOK 402

-77.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$80.5 NOK 750

-69.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$56.0 NOK 522

-53.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$35.16 NOK 328

-45.85%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$19.31 NOK 180

-79.70%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$322 NOK 2,998

-4.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$13.2K NOK 123.5K

-55.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$117 NOK 1,087

-50.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$58.7 NOK 547

-45.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$107 NOK 994

-6.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$159 NOK 1,484

-32.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$1,580 NOK 14.7K

-69.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$1,123 NOK 10.5K

-67.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$2,783 NOK 25.9K

-70.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$1,781 NOK 16.6K

-59.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$5,940 NOK 55.4K

-50.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$5,361 NOK 50.0K

-73.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$5,014 NOK 46.7K

-89.12%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $1,580 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 819% 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 $119 in Stavanger. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $470 – 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 161%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $4,042 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 $119 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 $1,034 in Medellin and $2,695 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 $1,034, than in Stavanger at $2,695. 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.