Cost of Living Comparison Between Askim and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Askim and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,644 in Askim versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,074 in Askim versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,504 in Askim versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Askim is roughly 161% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Askim is 97% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.27 NOK 239

$5.99 COP 21.5K

321.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$123 NOK 1,167

$32.86 COP 118.1K

275.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.94 NOK 141

$7.09 COP 25.5K

110.72%

Cappuccino

$5.00 NOK 47.23

$1.71 COP 6,154

192.40%

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

$4.24 NOK 40.10

$1.10 COP 3,949

285.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 NOK 31.20

$0.78 COP 2,798

323.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.07 NOK 114

$1.68 COP 6,035

618.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.91 NOK 103

$3.07 COP 11.0K

255.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 NOK 21.63

$1.09 COP 3,930

110.09%

White Bread (500g)

$4.13 NOK 39.02

$1.26 COP 4,536

227.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.50 NOK 33.06

$1.38 COP 4,953

153.62%

Eggs

$4.94 NOK 46.73

$2.19 COP 7,876

125.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 NOK 125

$4.40 COP 15.8K

201.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.10 NOK 152

$5.63 COP 20.2K

185.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$30.60 NOK 289

$8.89 COP 32.0K

244.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 NOK 32.94

$2.34 COP 8,401

48.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.64 NOK 25.00

$1.06 COP 3,801

149.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.33 NOK 31.45

$1.50 COP 5,408

122.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.87 NOK 46.08

$1.38 COP 4,955

252.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 NOK 23.18

$1.15 COP 4,137

113.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 NOK 25.55

$1.16 COP 4,181

132.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 NOK 26.30

$0.89 COP 3,202

212.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 NOK 22.03

$0.84 COP 3,016

177.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.13 NOK 162

$2.28 COP 8,196

651.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.37 NOK 183

$10.64 COP 38.2K

82.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.33 NOK 31.48

$1.20 COP 4,311

177.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 NOK 41.19

$2.47 COP 8,880

76.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.36 NOK 41.25

$0.86 COP 3,075

406.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.0 NOK 690

$41.40 COP 148.8K

76.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.22 NOK 96.6

$1.47 COP 5,297

595.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 NOK 13.72

$1.96 COP 7,053

-26.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.74 NOK 404

$7.74 COP 27.8K

452.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 NOK 21.50

$0.95 COP 3,430

138.95%

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

$36.0K NOK 340.2K

$18.1K COP 65.2M

98.49%

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

$35.7K NOK 337.8K

$26.5K COP 95.2M

34.90%

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

$296 NOK 2,800

$82.3 COP 295.6K

260.16%

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

$31.59 NOK 299

$9.50 COP 34.1K

232.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.3 NOK 532

$24.23 COP 87.1K

132.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.61 NOK 460

$25.89 COP 93.0K

87.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.49 NOK 335

$19.00 COP 68.3K

86.79%

Cinema Ticket

$15.31 NOK 145

$3.93 COP 14.1K

289.57%

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

$272 NOK 2,567

$309 COP 1.1M

-12.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K NOK 138.6K

$5,965 COP 21.4M

145.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 NOK 981

$58.7 COP 210.8K

76.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.0 NOK 633

$32.35 COP 116.2K

106.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 NOK 1,174

$103 COP 368.7K

21.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 NOK 1,549

$108 COP 389.6K

51.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,217 NOK 11.5K

$476 COP 1.7M

155.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$895 NOK 8,464

$379 COP 1.4M

136.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,809 NOK 17.1K

$838 COP 3.0M

115.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,547 NOK 14.6K

$724 COP 2.6M

113.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,040 NOK 57.1K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

116.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,482 NOK 42.4K

$1,211 COP 4.4M

270.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,344 NOK 41.1K

$512 COP 1.8M

748.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.08

13.43

-62.17%

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

Last update for Askim: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,217 in Askim and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Askim pays 749% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $123 in Askim vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $497 vs $188 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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

Askim vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Askim and Medellin differ by about 161% in total monthly costs ($2,644 vs $1,013 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Askim pays 749% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,217 in Askim versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $123 in Askim. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,644 per month in Askim versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 161% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $2,644 in Askim, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Askim. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Askim and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 161% less than in Askim. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.