Cost of Living Comparison Between Sandnes and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Sandnes and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,551 per month in Sandnes vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,980 per month in Sandnes vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,409 per month in Sandnes vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Sandnes costs about 151% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Sandnes sits 90% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.27 NOK 268

$5.95 COP 20.8K

375.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 NOK 1,153

$33.33 COP 116.3K

264.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.57 NOK 129

$7.23 COP 25.2K

87.69%

Cappuccino

$5.02 NOK 47.61

$1.63 COP 5,687

207.98%

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

$3.46 NOK 32.88

$1.09 COP 3,821

217.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 NOK 27.02

$0.73 COP 2,548

290.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.03 NOK 95.2

$1.74 COP 6,065

476.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.26 NOK 97.4

$3.23 COP 11.3K

217.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 NOK 20.65

$1.05 COP 3,662

107.62%

White Bread (500g)

$3.40 NOK 32.31

$1.29 COP 4,515

163.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.20 NOK 30.36

$1.32 COP 4,617

142.42%

Eggs

$4.16 NOK 39.48

$2.27 COP 7,927

83.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.62 NOK 120

$4.35 COP 15.2K

190.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.92 NOK 132

$5.88 COP 20.5K

136.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$36.25 NOK 344

$8.61 COP 30.0K

321.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 NOK 33.70

$2.25 COP 7,844

57.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 NOK 23.72

$1.07 COP 3,733

133.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 NOK 28.14

$1.52 COP 5,322

94.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 NOK 45.69

$1.42 COP 4,964

238.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.18 NOK 20.69

$1.17 COP 4,084

86.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 NOK 20.60

$1.17 COP 4,077

85.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.72 NOK 25.83

$0.89 COP 3,096

205.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 NOK 18.26

$0.90 COP 3,146

113.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.91 NOK 142

$2.25 COP 7,837

562.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.95 NOK 161

$11.04 COP 38.5K

53.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.29 NOK 31.24

$1.14 COP 3,977

188.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 NOK 37.85

$2.38 COP 8,301

67.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.04 NOK 38.36

$0.84 COP 2,916

380.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.0 NOK 683

$41.95 COP 146.4K

71.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.21 NOK 144

$1.41 COP 4,912

978.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 NOK 19.69

$1.90 COP 6,634

8.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$46.16 NOK 438

$7.75 COP 27.0K

495.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.12 NOK 20.15

$1.01 COP 3,509

109.90%

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

$34.4K NOK 326.1K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

95.44%

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

$33.0K NOK 313.5K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

24.64%

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

$220 NOK 2,085

$83.7 COP 292.1K

162.51%

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

$43.46 NOK 412

$9.45 COP 33.0K

359.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.2 NOK 761

$24.11 COP 84.1K

232.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.74 NOK 472

$25.31 COP 88.3K

96.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.92 NOK 474

$19.14 COP 66.8K

160.82%

Cinema Ticket

$18.49 NOK 176

$4.10 COP 14.3K

350.98%

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

$314 NOK 2,978

$312 COP 1.1M

0.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,283 NOK 88.1K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

54.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 NOK 1,129

$58.0 COP 202.6K

104.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 NOK 560

$32.56 COP 113.6K

81.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 NOK 996

$99.6 COP 347.7K

5.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 NOK 1,502

$109 COP 378.8K

45.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 NOK 11.7K

$482 COP 1.7M

156.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$861 NOK 8,172

$379 COP 1.3M

126.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,658 NOK 15.7K

$837 COP 2.9M

97.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,462 NOK 13.9K

$723 COP 2.5M

102.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,089 NOK 67.3K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

149.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,048 NOK 38.4K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

230.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,655 NOK 34.7K

$541 COP 1.9M

575.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.4

13.43

-67.24%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Sandnes: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,235 in Sandnes 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 576% higher in Sandnes, 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 $121 in Sandnes versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $473 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

Sandnes vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sandnes is pricier by about 151%, 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 $3,826 per month in Sandnes and $1,525 in Medellin. 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 $121 in Sandnes and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,551 in Sandnes and $1,017 in Medellin. 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 $1,017, than in Sandnes at $2,551. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sandnes 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, Sandnes makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.