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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,699 per month in Stavanger vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,150 per month in Stavanger vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,601 per month in Stavanger vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Stavanger costs about 169% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Stavanger sits 103% above the global median, while Medellin is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.22 NOK 239

$5.91 COP 18.6K

326.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$123 NOK 1,167

$32.96 COP 103.8K

273.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.08 NOK 143

$7.43 COP 23.4K

102.96%

Cappuccino

$5.02 NOK 47.61

$1.65 COP 5,207

204.24%

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

$3.89 NOK 36.85

$1.10 COP 3,468

253.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 NOK 32.26

$0.78 COP 2,458

335.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.99 NOK 104

$1.72 COP 5,412

538.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.26 NOK 97.3

$3.18 COP 10.0K

222.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 NOK 22.72

$1.10 COP 3,474

118.18%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 NOK 29.46

$1.26 COP 3,962

146.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.64 NOK 44.03

$1.38 COP 4,349

236.23%

Eggs

$4.52 NOK 42.88

$2.18 COP 6,858

107.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 NOK 123

$4.49 COP 14.1K

189.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.24 NOK 154

$5.79 COP 18.2K

180.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.67 NOK 262

$8.97 COP 28.2K

208.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 NOK 33.45

$2.32 COP 7,308

52.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 NOK 23.92

$1.06 COP 3,352

137.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.05 NOK 28.94

$1.52 COP 4,774

100.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.66 NOK 44.17

$1.36 COP 4,270

242.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 NOK 19.44

$1.13 COP 3,552

81.42%

Onion (1kg)

$3.04 NOK 28.86

$1.17 COP 3,689

159.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 NOK 24.47

$0.90 COP 2,838

186.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 NOK 16.56

$0.90 COP 2,823

94.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.11 NOK 143

$2.23 COP 7,034

577.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.96 NOK 170

$12.12 COP 38.2K

48.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.54 NOK 33.60

$1.19 COP 3,743

197.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 NOK 38.69

$2.48 COP 7,815

64.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.58 NOK 43.44

$0.85 COP 2,687

438.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.1 NOK 656

$41.62 COP 131.0K

66.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.37 NOK 146

$1.42 COP 4,459

982.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 NOK 19.62

$1.95 COP 6,141

6.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$103 NOK 972

$7.89 COP 24.8K

1199.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 NOK 20.92

$0.99 COP 3,118

123.23%

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

$34.7K NOK 329.2K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

97.25%

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

$32.7K NOK 310.2K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

22.08%

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

$192 NOK 1,821

$83.0 COP 261.4K

131.38%

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

$42.41 NOK 402

$9.70 COP 30.5K

337.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.9 NOK 767

$23.52 COP 74.1K

243.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 NOK 529

$25.26 COP 79.5K

120.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.17 NOK 333

$19.10 COP 60.1K

84.14%

Cinema Ticket

$19.02 NOK 180

$3.95 COP 12.4K

381.52%

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

$314 NOK 2,975

$316 COP 994.2K

-0.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K NOK 122.1K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

115.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$116 NOK 1,096

$60.0 COP 188.9K

92.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.4 NOK 553

$31.82 COP 100.2K

83.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 NOK 1,018

$102 COP 320.1K

5.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 NOK 1,493

$107 COP 338.3K

46.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 NOK 15.1K

$475 COP 1.5M

235.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,135 NOK 10.8K

$374 COP 1.2M

203.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,798 NOK 26.5K

$849 COP 2.7M

229.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,777 NOK 16.9K

$719 COP 2.3M

147.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,005 NOK 56.9K

$3,265 COP 10.3M

83.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,223 NOK 49.5K

$1,441 COP 4.5M

262.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,909 NOK 46.6K

$624 COP 2.0M

686.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

13.43

-66.42%

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

Last update for Stavanger: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,595 in Stavanger versus $475 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 686% 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 $123 in Stavanger versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $468 vs $193 – 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 169%, 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 $4,048 per month in Stavanger and $1,504 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 $123 in Stavanger 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 $2,699 in Stavanger and $1,003 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 $1,003, than in Stavanger at $2,699. 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.