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