Cost of Living Comparison Between Stavanger and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Stavanger and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,202 per month in Stavanger vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,642 per month in Stavanger vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,082 per month in Stavanger vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Stavanger costs about 91% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Stavanger and Medellin sit above the global median – Stavanger by 134%, Medellin by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.74 NOK 243

$8.02 COP 25.0K

220.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.4 NOK 917

$47.87 COP 149.4K

103.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.15 NOK 152

$9.89 COP 30.8K

63.30%

Cappuccino

$6.37 NOK 60.0

$3.13 COP 9,767

103.51%

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

$5.34 NOK 50.3

$1.91 COP 5,954

179.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 NOK 41.75

$1.51 COP 4,712

193.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.88 NOK 131

$3.12 COP 9,747

344.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.16 NOK 115

$5.75 COP 17.9K

111.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.50 NOK 23.55

$1.44 COP 4,509

73.61%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 NOK 33.96

$2.49 COP 7,759

44.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.96 NOK 37.33

$1.77 COP 5,535

123.73%

Eggs

$5.05 NOK 47.55

$2.96 COP 9,235

70.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.10 NOK 142

$10.07 COP 31.4K

49.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.22 NOK 162

$10.12 COP 31.6K

70.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$35.93 NOK 339

$14.30 COP 44.6K

151.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 NOK 34.97

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-10.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 NOK 26.20

$1.61 COP 5,019

72.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.49 NOK 32.84

$2.25 COP 7,007

55.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.04 NOK 47.53

$2.25 COP 7,028

124.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 NOK 23.69

$2.04 COP 6,375

23.04%

Onion (1kg)

$3.12 NOK 29.43

$1.54 COP 4,790

102.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.91 NOK 27.45

$1.17 COP 3,651

148.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 NOK 22.84

$1.31 COP 4,077

84.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.89 NOK 169

$3.90 COP 12.2K

358.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.83 NOK 177

$14.01 COP 43.7K

34.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.94 NOK 37.16

$1.74 COP 5,439

126.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 NOK 42.46

$2.87 COP 8,956

57.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.82 NOK 45.41

$1.22 COP 3,792

295.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.4 NOK 824

$80.5 COP 251.1K

8.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.37 NOK 60.0

$1.31 COP 4,084

386.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 NOK 16.18

$2.19 COP 6,825

-21.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$106 NOK 1,003

$8.71 COP 27.2K

1122.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 NOK 21.21

$1.37 COP 4,260

64.23%

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

$49.6K NOK 467.6K

$27.8K COP 86.9M

78.27%

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

$42.3K NOK 398.5K

$35.8K COP 111.6M

18.23%

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

$251 NOK 2,362

$177 COP 553.2K

41.40%

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

$35.70 NOK 336

$13.88 COP 43.3K

157.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.6 NOK 788

$29.72 COP 92.8K

181.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.5 NOK 495

$44.88 COP 140.1K

16.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.19 NOK 350

$17.12 COP 53.4K

117.23%

Cinema Ticket

$22.57 NOK 213

$6.65 COP 20.7K

239.40%

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

$330 NOK 3,112

$813 COP 2.5M

-59.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K NOK 136.6K

$9,187 COP 28.7M

57.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$131 NOK 1,230

$89.5 COP 279.3K

45.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.9 NOK 574

$59.0 COP 184.0K

3.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$158 NOK 1,492

$138 COP 431.2K

14.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$210 NOK 1,978

$102 COP 318.7K

105.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 NOK 16.1K

$1,062 COP 3.3M

60.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,391 NOK 13.1K

$663 COP 2.1M

109.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,794 NOK 26.3K

$1,888 COP 5.9M

47.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,084 NOK 19.6K

$1,027 COP 3.2M

102.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,179 NOK 58.2K

$4,183 COP 13.1M

47.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,479 NOK 51.6K

$1,675 COP 5.2M

227.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,006 NOK 47.2K

$678 COP 2.1M

638.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.27

10.94

-51.83%

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

Last update for Stavanger: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,708 in Stavanger 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 639% higher in Stavanger, 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 $97.0 in Stavanger versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $532 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

Stavanger vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Stavanger is pricier by about 91%, 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 $4,803 per month in Stavanger 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 $97.0 in Stavanger 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 $3,202 in Stavanger 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 Stavanger at $3,202. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stavanger 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, Stavanger makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.