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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,766 per month in Sandnes vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,267 per month in Sandnes vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,769 per month in Sandnes vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Sandnes costs about 65% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sandnes and Medellin sit above the global median – Sandnes by 102%, Medellin by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.62 NOK 241

$8.02 COP 25.0K

219.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 NOK 946

$47.87 COP 149.4K

109.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.76 NOK 148

$9.89 COP 30.8K

59.35%

Cappuccino

$5.79 NOK 54.5

$3.13 COP 9,767

84.98%

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

$3.41 NOK 32.13

$1.91 COP 5,954

78.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 NOK 27.92

$1.51 COP 4,712

96.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$14.03 NOK 132

$3.12 COP 9,747

349.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.26 NOK 116

$5.75 COP 17.9K

113.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 NOK 22.60

$1.44 COP 4,509

66.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.52 NOK 33.17

$2.49 COP 7,759

41.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.55 NOK 24.06

$1.77 COP 5,535

44.07%

Eggs

$4.86 NOK 45.78

$2.96 COP 9,235

64.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.36 NOK 126

$10.07 COP 31.4K

32.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.96 NOK 150

$10.12 COP 31.6K

57.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$32.10 NOK 302

$14.30 COP 44.6K

124.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 NOK 34.25

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-12.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.76 NOK 26.04

$1.61 COP 5,019

71.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.24 NOK 30.48

$2.25 COP 7,007

44.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.04 NOK 47.54

$2.25 COP 7,028

124.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 NOK 23.95

$2.04 COP 6,375

24.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 NOK 22.45

$1.54 COP 4,790

54.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.92 NOK 27.51

$1.17 COP 3,651

149.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 NOK 22.49

$1.31 COP 4,077

82.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.65 NOK 157

$3.90 COP 12.2K

326.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.02 NOK 160

$14.01 COP 43.7K

21.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.28 NOK 30.88

$1.74 COP 5,439

88.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 NOK 40.67

$2.87 COP 8,956

50.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.72 NOK 44.45

$1.22 COP 3,792

286.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.7 NOK 817

$80.5 COP 251.1K

7.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.39 NOK 60.2

$1.31 COP 4,084

387.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 NOK 17.03

$2.19 COP 6,825

-17.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.65 NOK 468

$8.71 COP 27.2K

470.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.28 NOK 21.46

$1.37 COP 4,260

66.42%

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

$44.3K NOK 417.0K

$27.8K COP 86.9M

58.97%

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

$39.6K NOK 373.5K

$35.8K COP 111.6M

10.81%

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

$252 NOK 2,372

$177 COP 553.2K

42.00%

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

$35.79 NOK 337

$13.88 COP 43.3K

157.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.3 NOK 795

$29.72 COP 92.8K

183.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.88 NOK 442

$44.88 COP 140.1K

4.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.1 NOK 500

$17.12 COP 53.4K

210.22%

Cinema Ticket

$19.26 NOK 182

$6.65 COP 20.7K

189.62%

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

$297 NOK 2,798

$813 COP 2.5M

-63.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,766 NOK 92.0K

$9,187 COP 28.7M

6.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$127 NOK 1,192

$89.5 COP 279.3K

41.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.1 NOK 585

$59.0 COP 184.0K

5.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 NOK 1,154

$138 COP 431.2K

-11.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$194 NOK 1,826

$102 COP 318.7K

89.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,375 NOK 13.0K

$1,062 COP 3.3M

29.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$995 NOK 9,373

$663 COP 2.1M

50.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,011 NOK 19.0K

$1,888 COP 5.9M

6.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,841 NOK 17.3K

$1,027 COP 3.2M

79.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,992 NOK 65.9K

$4,183 COP 13.1M

67.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,075 NOK 38.4K

$1,675 COP 5.2M

143.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,787 NOK 35.7K

$678 COP 2.1M

458.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.22

10.94

-52.29%

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

Last update for Sandnes: September 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,375 in Sandnes versus $1,062 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 459% 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 $100 in Sandnes versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $490 vs $305 – 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 65%, 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 $4,148 per month in Sandnes and $2,521 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 $100 in Sandnes and $48.00 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 $2,766 in Sandnes and $1,681 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Sandnes at $2,766. 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.