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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $2,699 in Stavanger, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $4,150 in Stavanger, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $5,601 in Stavanger, rent included.

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

Medellin sits 25% below the global median, while Stavanger is 103% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$25.22 NOK 239

-76.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$123 NOK 1,167

-73.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$15.08 NOK 143

-50.73%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$5.02 NOK 47.61

-67.13%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$3.89 NOK 36.85

-71.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$3.40 NOK 32.26

-77.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$10.99 NOK 104

-84.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$10.26 NOK 97.3

-69.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$2.40 NOK 22.72

-54.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$3.11 NOK 29.46

-59.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$4.64 NOK 44.03

-70.26%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$4.52 NOK 42.88

-51.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$12.98 NOK 123

-65.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$16.24 NOK 154

-64.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$27.67 NOK 262

-67.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$3.53 NOK 33.45

-34.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$2.52 NOK 23.92

-57.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$3.05 NOK 28.94

-50.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$4.66 NOK 44.17

-70.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$2.05 NOK 19.44

-44.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$3.04 NOK 28.86

-61.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$2.58 NOK 24.47

-65.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.75 NOK 16.56

-48.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$15.11 NOK 143

-85.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$17.96 NOK 170

-32.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$3.54 NOK 33.60

-66.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$4.08 NOK 38.69

-39.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$4.58 NOK 43.44

-81.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$69.1 NOK 656

-39.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$15.37 NOK 146

-90.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$2.07 NOK 19.62

-5.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$103 NOK 972

-92.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$2.21 NOK 20.92

-55.20%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$34.7K NOK 329.2K

-49.30%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$32.7K NOK 310.2K

-18.09%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$192 NOK 1,821

-56.78%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$42.41 NOK 402

-77.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$80.9 NOK 767

-70.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$55.8 NOK 529

-54.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$35.17 NOK 333

-45.69%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$19.02 NOK 180

-79.23%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$314 NOK 2,975

0.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$12.9K NOK 122.1K

-53.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$116 NOK 1,096

-48.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$58.4 NOK 553

-45.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$107 NOK 1,018

-5.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$157 NOK 1,493

-31.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$1,595 NOK 15.1K

-70.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$1,135 NOK 10.8K

-67.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$2,798 NOK 26.5K

-69.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$1,777 NOK 16.9K

-59.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$6,005 NOK 56.9K

-45.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$5,223 NOK 49.5K

-72.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$4,909 NOK 46.6K

-87.28%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Stavanger: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $1,595 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 686% 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 $123 in Stavanger. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $468 – 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 169%, 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 $4,048 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 $123 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 $1,003 in Medellin and $2,699 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 $1,003, than in Stavanger at $2,699. 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.