Cost of Living Comparison Between Narvik and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Narvik and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,281 per month in Narvik vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,445 per month in Narvik vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,609 per month in Narvik vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Narvik costs about 121% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Narvik sits 70% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Narvik
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.04 NOK 187
$5.92 COP 21.4K
238.51%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$92.2 NOK 860
$32.75 COP 118.2K
181.65%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.01 NOK 140
$7.20 COP 26.0K
108.47%
Cappuccino
$5.45 NOK 50.8
$1.70 COP 6,140
220.59%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.54 NOK 23.71
$1.10 COP 3,966
130.91%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.56 NOK 23.82
$0.72 COP 2,605
255.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$11.00 NOK 102
$1.67 COP 6,022
558.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$11.20 NOK 104
$3.10 COP 11.2K
261.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Narvik
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.39 NOK 22.25
$1.06 COP 3,809
125.47%
White Bread (500g)
$3.30 NOK 30.77
$1.25 COP 4,497
164.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.48 NOK 23.12
$1.39 COP 5,022
78.42%
Eggs
$4.81 NOK 44.80
$2.26 COP 8,168
112.83%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.42 NOK 106
$4.33 COP 15.6K
163.74%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$15.34 NOK 143
$5.84 COP 21.1K
162.67%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.71 NOK 202
$8.83 COP 31.9K
145.87%
Apples (1kg)
$3.28 NOK 30.59
$2.24 COP 8,099
46.43%
Banana (1kg)
$2.06 NOK 19.20
$1.08 COP 3,882
90.74%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.55 NOK 33.12
$1.53 COP 5,522
132.03%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.24 NOK 39.54
$1.37 COP 4,950
209.49%
Potato (1kg)
$2.49 NOK 23.24
$1.13 COP 4,078
120.35%
Onion (1kg)
$3.63 NOK 33.86
$1.12 COP 4,036
224.11%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.73 NOK 25.45
$0.85 COP 3,057
221.18%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 NOK 16.45
$0.91 COP 3,281
93.41%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$15.26 NOK 142
$2.33 COP 8,414
554.94%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.75 NOK 184
$11.13 COP 40.2K
77.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.34 NOK 31.12
$1.19 COP 4,309
180.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.52 NOK 32.84
$2.37 COP 8,553
48.52%
🚌 Getting Around
Narvik
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$5.16 NOK 48.11
$0.79 COP 2,838
553.16%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$85.5 NOK 797
$41.13 COP 148.5K
107.78%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$12.90 NOK 120
$1.44 COP 5,184
795.83%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.38 NOK 12.91
$1.91 COP 6,901
-27.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$51.2 NOK 477
$8.02 COP 28.9K
538.28%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.08 NOK 19.43
$0.94 COP 3,385
121.28%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.2K NOK 281.5K
$17.9K COP 64.7M
68.52%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.9K NOK 288.2K
$26.8K COP 96.7M
15.41%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Narvik
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$250 NOK 2,332
$84.0 COP 303.1K
198.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$48.29 NOK 450
$9.60 COP 34.7K
403.02%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$75.7 NOK 705
$24.16 COP 87.2K
213.29%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Narvik
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.0 NOK 512
$25.88 COP 93.4K
112.36%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.69 NOK 239
$19.04 COP 68.7K
34.93%
Cinema Ticket
$17.03 NOK 159
$3.92 COP 14.1K
334.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Narvik
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$335 NOK 3,123
$306 COP 1.1M
9.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,159 NOK 66.7K
$5,919 COP 21.4M
20.95%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Narvik
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.7 NOK 845
$57.9 COP 209.1K
56.54%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.34 NOK 311
$31.82 COP 114.9K
4.78%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$132 NOK 1,233
$99.9 COP 360.6K
32.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$136 NOK 1,264
$107 COP 386.8K
26.63%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Narvik
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$938 NOK 8,738
$487 COP 1.8M
92.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$694 NOK 6,465
$368 COP 1.3M
88.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,557 NOK 14.5K
$826 COP 3.0M
88.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,174 NOK 10.9K
$716 COP 2.6M
63.95%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,382 NOK 50.2K
$2,925 COP 10.6M
83.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,879 NOK 45.5K
$1,407 COP 5.1M
246.81%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Narvik
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,657 NOK 34.1K
$546 COP 2.0M
570.33%
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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $938 in Narvik versus $487 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 570% 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 $92.0 in Narvik versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $436 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 121%, 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 $3,421 per month in Narvik and $1,550 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 $92.0 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 $2,281 in Narvik and $1,034 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 $1,034, than in Narvik at $2,281. 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.

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