Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Stavanger and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,639 a month against $3,248 in Stavanger, rent and utilities included – about $19,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Stavanger, Norway
Medellin, Colombia
Stavanger
🇳🇴 Norway
$3,248
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Stavanger and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Stavanger and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,248 per month in Stavanger vs $1,639 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Stavanger $3,248
  • Medellin $1,639

A couple spends around $4,717 per month in Stavanger vs $2,413 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Stavanger $4,717
  • Medellin $2,413

A family of three spends $6,186 per month in Stavanger vs $3,186 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Stavanger $6,186
  • Medellin $3,186

Stavanger costs about 98% more than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Stavanger and Medellin sit above the global median – Stavanger by 139%, Medellin by 20%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Stavanger
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$24.67 NOK 227
$8.09 COP 26.1K
204.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$98.0 NOK 900
$47.05 COP 151.7K
108.20%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$16.23 NOK 149
$9.50 COP 30.6K
70.84%
Cappuccino
$6.22 NOK 57.1
$3.01 COP 9,722
106.64%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.89 NOK 54.1
$1.80 COP 5,801
227.22%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.53 NOK 41.60
$1.41 COP 4,554
221.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$13.76 NOK 126
$3.18 COP 10.2K
332.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$10.62 NOK 97.6
$5.75 COP 18.5K
84.70%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Stavanger
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.53 NOK 23.22
$1.51 COP 4,869
67.55%
White Bread (500g)
$3.52 NOK 32.32
$2.38 COP 7,667
47.90%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.98 NOK 36.53
$1.77 COP 5,712
124.86%
Eggs
$4.75 NOK 43.68
$2.89 COP 9,320
64.36%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.22 NOK 140
$10.19 COP 32.9K
49.36%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$17.54 NOK 161
$9.87 COP 31.8K
77.71%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$36.16 NOK 332
$13.99 COP 45.1K
158.47%
Apples (1kg)
$3.53 NOK 32.44
$3.97 COP 12.8K
-11.08%
Banana (1kg)
$2.86 NOK 26.25
$1.55 COP 5,005
84.52%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.62 NOK 33.25
$2.18 COP 7,039
66.06%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.93 NOK 45.29
$2.18 COP 7,041
126.15%
Potato (1kg)
$2.55 NOK 23.46
$1.96 COP 6,328
30.10%
Onion (1kg)
$3.11 NOK 28.58
$1.59 COP 5,125
95.60%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.90 NOK 26.61
$1.15 COP 3,694
152.17%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.33 NOK 21.41
$1.24 COP 4,009
87.90%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$18.27 NOK 168
$3.96 COP 12.8K
361.36%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.94 NOK 174
$13.68 COP 44.1K
38.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.80 NOK 34.94
$1.66 COP 5,352
128.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.51 NOK 41.44
$2.26 COP 7,281
99.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Stavanger
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.75 NOK 43.60
$1.17 COP 3,766
305.98%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$85.4 NOK 785
$77.4 COP 249.5K
10.39%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.27 NOK 57.6
$1.27 COP 4,089
393.70%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.80 NOK 16.54
$2.05 COP 6,603
-12.20%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$106 NOK 972
$8.55 COP 27.6K
1137.54%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.46 NOK 22.64
$1.35 COP 4,343
82.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$49.1K NOK 451.1K
$34.1K COP 109.8M
44.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$42.2K NOK 387.8K
$34.7K COP 111.8M
21.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Stavanger
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$260 NOK 2,385
$170 COP 547.0K
53.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.92 NOK 312
$13.55 COP 43.7K
150.33%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$79.9 NOK 734
$28.07 COP 90.5K
184.68%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Stavanger
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.0 NOK 477
$43.70 COP 140.9K
18.90%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$37.64 NOK 346
$17.19 COP 55.4K
118.96%
Cinema Ticket
$22.16 NOK 204
$6.91 COP 22.3K
220.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Stavanger
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$325 NOK 2,990
$797 COP 2.6M
-59.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.3K NOK 131.7K
$9,112 COP 29.4M
57.35%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Stavanger
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$130 NOK 1,191
$84.7 COP 273.2K
53.05%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$61.9 NOK 569
$58.0 COP 186.9K
6.87%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$151 NOK 1,386
$135 COP 435.2K
11.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$206 NOK 1,890
$97.9 COP 315.6K
110.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Stavanger
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,805 NOK 16.6K
$1,208 COP 3.9M
49.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,429 NOK 13.1K
$642 COP 2.1M
122.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,895 NOK 26.6K
$2,028 COP 6.5M
42.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,145 NOK 19.7K
$1,012 COP 3.3M
111.96%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,468 NOK 59.4K
$4,170 COP 13.4M
55.11%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,430 NOK 49.9K
$1,910 COP 6.2M
184.23%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Stavanger
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,086 NOK 46.7K
$657 COP 2.1M
673.98%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.24
10.94
-52.10%

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

Last update for Stavanger: October 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Stavanger
$1.4K
Medellin
$642 55.1% $787
Groceries & Markets
Stavanger
$530
Medellin
$297 44% $234
Eating Out
Stavanger
$452
Medellin
$170 62.5% $283
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Stavanger
$373
Medellin
$211 43.4% $162
Clothing & Footwear
Stavanger
$247
Medellin
$169 31.5% $78
Getting Around
Stavanger
$120
Medellin
$94 21.8% $26
Sport & Entertainment
Stavanger
$96
Medellin
$58 40.2% $39

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,805 in Stavanger versus $1,208 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 in Stavanger are about 7.7 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $98 in Stavanger versus $47 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $530 vs $297 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇳🇴 Stavanger
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
09:05 9:05 AM
03:05 3:05 AM
6 h behind Stavanger
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,330
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to NOK – Norwegian Krone Converter

Norwegian Krone exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 9.19 NOK (1 NOK = 0.109 USD). 1 EUR = 10.26 NOK (100 NOK = 9.75 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 3,224 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,600 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Stavanger Medellin 8,910 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Stavanger
  • Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Medellin cheaper than Stavanger?
Yes – Stavanger is pricier by about 98%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,872 per month in Stavanger and $2,459 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,208 there versus $1,805 in Stavanger.
Is eating out cheaper in Stavanger or in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $98 in Stavanger and $47 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 Stavanger and in Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,248 in Stavanger and $1,639 in Medellin. That makes Medellin about 50% cheaper.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Stavanger or in Medellin?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,639, than in Stavanger at $3,248. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stavanger it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city suits remote workers better?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,639 versus $3,248 in Stavanger. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Stavanger makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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