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: $2,908 in Askim versus $1,641 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,386 in Askim versus $2,447 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,865 in Askim versus $3,253 in Medellin.

Living in Askim is roughly 77% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Askim 111% above, Medellin 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.05 NOK 195

$8.04 COP 24.8K

161.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$130 NOK 1,208

$48.29 COP 148.6K

169.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.15 NOK 150

$9.42 COP 29.0K

71.44%

Cappuccino

$5.95 NOK 55.2

$2.94 COP 9,040

102.38%

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

$4.14 NOK 38.36

$1.86 COP 5,735

122.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 NOK 32.19

$1.46 COP 4,479

137.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.63 NOK 108

$3.21 COP 9,882

262.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.93 NOK 120

$5.71 COP 17.6K

126.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.55 NOK 23.65

$1.44 COP 4,428

77.08%

White Bread (500g)

$4.27 NOK 39.57

$2.40 COP 7,389

77.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.70 NOK 43.62

$1.70 COP 5,228

176.47%

Eggs

$6.22 NOK 57.7

$2.89 COP 8,896

115.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.14 NOK 140

$10.06 COP 30.9K

50.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.36 NOK 143

$9.97 COP 30.7K

54.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$29.73 NOK 276

$14.20 COP 43.7K

109.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 NOK 31.08

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-15.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.71 NOK 25.16

$1.58 COP 4,878

71.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 NOK 32.04

$2.15 COP 6,624

60.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.15 NOK 57.0

$2.30 COP 7,078

167.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 NOK 24.60

$2.00 COP 6,169

32.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.99 NOK 27.73

$1.51 COP 4,646

98.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.23 NOK 29.97

$1.20 COP 3,701

169.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 NOK 22.68

$1.28 COP 3,946

91.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.06 NOK 177

$3.84 COP 11.8K

396.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.14 NOK 159

$14.01 COP 43.1K

22.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.58 NOK 33.18

$1.71 COP 5,256

109.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 NOK 39.84

$2.74 COP 8,440

56.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.58 NOK 42.48

$1.25 COP 3,834

266.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.8 NOK 787

$77.9 COP 239.7K

8.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.31 NOK 114

$1.31 COP 4,016

839.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 NOK 17.62

$2.17 COP 6,680

-12.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$71.1 NOK 660

$8.29 COP 25.5K

758.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.36 NOK 21.87

$1.36 COP 4,172

73.53%

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

$49.3K NOK 457.0K

$27.5K COP 84.5M

79.30%

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

$38.8K NOK 359.6K

$36.5K COP 112.4M

6.09%

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

$426 NOK 3,954

$169 COP 519.2K

152.64%

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

$32.58 NOK 302

$13.57 COP 41.8K

140.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.7 NOK 526

$28.32 COP 87.2K

100.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.1 NOK 465

$45.71 COP 140.7K

9.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.99 NOK 352

$17.22 COP 53.0K

120.62%

Cinema Ticket

$16.36 NOK 152

$6.65 COP 20.5K

146.02%

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

$246 NOK 2,278

$803 COP 2.5M

-69.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K NOK 149.8K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

75.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 NOK 969

$87.4 COP 268.8K

19.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.2 NOK 568

$59.4 COP 182.7K

3.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 NOK 1,283

$139 COP 427.5K

-0.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 NOK 1,465

$102 COP 314.0K

54.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,233 NOK 11.4K

$1,071 COP 3.3M

15.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 NOK 9,480

$653 COP 2.0M

56.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,015 NOK 18.7K

$1,925 COP 5.9M

4.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 NOK 15.8K

$1,048 COP 3.2M

62.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,526 NOK 60.5K

$4,123 COP 12.7M

58.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,254 NOK 39.5K

$1,697 COP 5.2M

150.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,325 NOK 40.1K

$655 COP 2.0M

560.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.96

10.94

-54.66%

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

Last update for Askim: September 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,233 in Askim and $1,071 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Askim pays 560% 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: $130 in Askim vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $518 vs $300 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 77% in total monthly costs ($2,908 vs $1,641 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 560% higher in Askim, 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: $1,233 in Askim versus $1,071 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 $48.00 versus $130 in Askim. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,908 per month in Askim versus $1,641 in Medellin – a 77% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,641 in Medellin versus $2,908 in Askim, a $2,500 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 77% less than in Askim. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.