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: $2,552 in Askim versus $1,030 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,982 in Askim versus $1,586 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,412 in Askim versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Askim is roughly 148% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Askim is 90% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.08 NOK 233

$5.92 COP 21.2K

323.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 NOK 1,119

$33.17 COP 118.7K

262.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.02 NOK 140

$7.25 COP 25.9K

107.17%

Cappuccino

$5.09 NOK 47.32

$1.71 COP 6,137

197.66%

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

$4.14 NOK 38.55

$1.09 COP 3,915

279.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 NOK 31.32

$0.77 COP 2,743

337.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.11 NOK 113

$1.75 COP 6,254

592.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.35 NOK 106

$3.18 COP 11.4K

256.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 NOK 22.26

$1.06 COP 3,792

125.47%

White Bread (500g)

$3.97 NOK 36.94

$1.30 COP 4,657

205.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.63 NOK 33.76

$1.38 COP 4,926

163.04%

Eggs

$5.21 NOK 48.46

$2.21 COP 7,908

135.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.61 NOK 127

$4.52 COP 16.2K

201.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.35 NOK 152

$5.80 COP 20.7K

181.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$31.42 NOK 292

$8.97 COP 32.1K

250.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.52 NOK 32.74

$2.29 COP 8,182

53.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 NOK 23.47

$1.06 COP 3,791

137.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.31 NOK 30.78

$1.51 COP 5,411

119.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.04 NOK 46.83

$1.36 COP 4,869

270.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 NOK 23.35

$1.16 COP 4,146

116.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 NOK 24.00

$1.17 COP 4,174

120.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.82 NOK 26.23

$0.83 COP 2,960

239.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 NOK 22.36

$0.85 COP 3,043

182.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.00 NOK 158

$2.35 COP 8,423

623.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 NOK 176

$11.09 COP 39.7K

70.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.49 NOK 32.46

$1.15 COP 4,133

203.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 NOK 40.17

$2.47 COP 8,853

74.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.22 NOK 39.25

$0.79 COP 2,827

434.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.7 NOK 685

$41.85 COP 149.8K

76.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.98 NOK 92.9

$1.44 COP 5,140

593.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 NOK 13.47

$1.90 COP 6,793

-23.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.73 NOK 388

$7.70 COP 27.6K

441.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.28 NOK 21.25

$1.03 COP 3,680

121.36%

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

$35.8K NOK 333.2K

$17.7K COP 63.3M

102.61%

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

$36.1K NOK 335.7K

$27.0K COP 96.7M

33.62%

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

$297 NOK 2,765

$81.4 COP 291.4K

265.17%

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

$31.29 NOK 291

$9.42 COP 33.7K

232.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.0 NOK 521

$23.77 COP 85.1K

135.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.64 NOK 462

$25.86 COP 92.6K

91.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.83 NOK 333

$19.34 COP 69.2K

85.26%

Cinema Ticket

$15.00 NOK 140

$4.05 COP 14.5K

270.37%

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

$275 NOK 2,553

$312 COP 1.1M

-12.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K NOK 137.0K

$6,067 COP 21.7M

142.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 NOK 946

$58.9 COP 210.7K

72.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.0 NOK 605

$32.82 COP 117.5K

98.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 NOK 1,131

$100 COP 359.6K

21.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 NOK 1,525

$106 COP 380.3K

54.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 NOK 11.1K

$490 COP 1.8M

143.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$905 NOK 8,417

$371 COP 1.3M

144.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,798 NOK 16.7K

$838 COP 3.0M

114.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,554 NOK 14.5K

$715 COP 2.6M

117.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,987 NOK 55.7K

$2,952 COP 10.6M

102.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,471 NOK 41.6K

$1,394 COP 5.0M

220.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,165 NOK 38.7K

$532 COP 1.9M

682.86%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,192 in Askim and $490 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Askim pays 683% 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: $120 in Askim vs $33 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $504 vs $190 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 148% in total monthly costs ($2,552 vs $1,030 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Askim pays 683% 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: $1,192 in Askim versus $490 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 $120 in Askim. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,552 per month in Askim versus $1,030 in Medellin – a 148% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,030 in Medellin versus $2,552 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 148% less than in Askim. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.