😐A single person spends $2,282 per month in Narvik vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $3,472 per month in Narvik vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $4,663 per month in Narvik vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.
😐Narvik costs about 124% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Narvik sits 70% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Narvik
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.26NOK 192
$5.95COP 20.8K
240.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$89.9NOK 853
$33.33COP 116.3K
169.58%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$15.34NOK 146
$7.23COP 25.2K
112.17%
Cappuccino
$5.64NOK 53.5
$1.63COP 5,687
246.01%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50NOK 23.72
$1.09COP 3,821
129.36%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.46NOK 23.39
$0.73COP 2,548
236.99%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$11.30NOK 107
$1.74COP 6,065
549.43%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$10.94NOK 104
$3.23COP 11.3K
238.70%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Narvik
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.49NOK 23.66
$1.05COP 3,662
137.14%
White Bread(500g)
$3.22NOK 30.53
$1.29COP 4,515
149.61%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.51NOK 23.87
$1.32COP 4,617
90.15%
Eggs
$5.01NOK 47.58
$2.27COP 7,927
120.70%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.60NOK 110
$4.35COP 15.2K
166.67%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$15.21NOK 144
$5.88COP 20.5K
158.67%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$22.29NOK 212
$8.61COP 30.0K
158.89%
Apples(1kg)
$3.43NOK 32.54
$2.25COP 7,844
52.44%
Banana(1kg)
$1.98NOK 18.77
$1.07COP 3,733
85.05%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.62NOK 34.34
$1.52COP 5,322
138.16%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.32NOK 41.00
$1.42COP 4,964
204.23%
Potato(1kg)
$2.46NOK 23.32
$1.17COP 4,084
110.26%
Onion(1kg)
$3.61NOK 34.27
$1.17COP 4,077
208.55%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.73NOK 25.95
$0.89COP 3,096
206.74%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.76NOK 16.67
$0.90COP 3,146
95.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$14.74NOK 140
$2.25COP 7,837
555.11%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.10NOK 181
$11.04COP 38.5K
73.01%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$3.49NOK 33.12
$1.14COP 3,977
206.14%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.64NOK 34.55
$2.38COP 8,301
52.94%
🚌 Getting Around
Narvik
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$5.02NOK 47.66
$0.84COP 2,916
497.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$84.3NOK 800
$41.95COP 146.4K
101.00%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$12.90NOK 122
$1.41COP 4,912
814.89%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.38NOK 13.08
$1.90COP 6,634
-27.37%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$50.9NOK 483
$7.75COP 27.0K
556.52%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.18NOK 20.64
$1.01COP 3,509
115.84%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.8KNOK 283.0K
$17.6KCOP 61.4M
69.61%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.0KNOK 284.6K
$26.5KCOP 92.5M
13.18%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Narvik
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$253NOK 2,399
$83.7COP 292.1K
202.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$47.87NOK 454
$9.45COP 33.0K
406.56%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$76.0NOK 722
$24.11COP 84.1K
215.39%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Narvik
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$53.1NOK 504
$25.31COP 88.3K
109.64%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.25NOK 240
$19.14COP 66.8K
31.92%
Cinema Ticket
$16.76NOK 159
$4.10COP 14.3K
308.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Narvik
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$329NOK 3,123
$312COP 1.1M
5.47%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,227NOK 68.6K
$5,993COP 20.9M
20.59%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Narvik
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.8NOK 843
$58.0COP 202.6K
53.02%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.39NOK 307
$32.56COP 113.6K
-0.52%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$132NOK 1,255
$99.6COP 347.7K
32.69%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$136NOK 1,287
$109COP 378.8K
24.90%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Narvik
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$933NOK 8,857
$482COP 1.7M
93.48%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$692NOK 6,568
$379COP 1.3M
82.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,569NOK 14.9K
$837COP 2.9M
87.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,184NOK 11.2K
$723COP 2.5M
63.81%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$5,236NOK 49.7K
$2,840COP 9.9M
84.39%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,701NOK 44.6K
$1,223COP 4.3M
284.33%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Narvik
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,636NOK 34.5K
$541COP 1.9M
572.18%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.27
13.43
-68.21%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Narvik: June 6, 2026
Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $933 in Narvik versus $482 in Medellin. 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 572% higher in Narvik, 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 $90.0 in Narvik versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $440 vs $190 – 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
Narvik vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Narvik?
Yes – Narvik is pricier by about 124%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,422 per month in Narvik and $1,525 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Is eating out cheaper in Narvik or Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Narvik and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Narvik vs Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,282 in Narvik and $1,017 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Narvik or Medellin?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Narvik at $2,282. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Narvik it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Narvik or Medellin more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Narvik or Medellin?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Narvik makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.