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: $2,569 in Askim versus $1,018 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,990 in Askim versus $1,609 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,410 in Askim versus $2,200 in Medellin.

Living in Askim is roughly 152% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Askim is 92% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.32 NOK 243

$5.93 COP 19.0K

326.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 NOK 1,170

$33.12 COP 106.0K

268.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.07 NOK 145

$7.12 COP 22.8K

111.66%

Cappuccino

$4.92 NOK 47.21

$1.71 COP 5,457

187.72%

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

$4.06 NOK 38.90

$1.05 COP 3,356

286.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 NOK 31.85

$0.72 COP 2,311

361.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.13 NOK 116

$1.72 COP 5,502

605.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.21 NOK 108

$3.17 COP 10.2K

253.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.37 NOK 22.77

$1.06 COP 3,408

123.58%

White Bread (500g)

$4.13 NOK 39.62

$1.31 COP 4,192

215.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.60 NOK 34.48

$1.33 COP 4,256

170.68%

Eggs

$5.04 NOK 48.35

$2.28 COP 7,298

121.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.18 NOK 126

$4.42 COP 14.1K

198.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.34 NOK 157

$5.92 COP 18.9K

176.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$31.44 NOK 302

$8.64 COP 27.7K

263.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.45 NOK 33.08

$2.34 COP 7,504

47.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 NOK 24.47

$1.10 COP 3,527

131.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 NOK 32.27

$1.47 COP 4,698

129.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.15 NOK 49.35

$1.38 COP 4,415

273.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 NOK 23.41

$1.17 COP 3,754

108.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.63 NOK 25.20

$1.17 COP 3,744

124.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 NOK 27.22

$0.90 COP 2,890

215.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 NOK 22.23

$0.84 COP 2,693

176.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.34 NOK 166

$2.33 COP 7,449

644.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.73 NOK 180

$11.92 COP 38.1K

57.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.53 NOK 33.86

$1.15 COP 3,673

206.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.19 NOK 40.17

$2.42 COP 7,749

73.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.22 NOK 40.46

$0.84 COP 2,687

402.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.9 NOK 699

$40.83 COP 130.7K

78.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.32 NOK 99.0

$1.41 COP 4,517

631.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 NOK 13.34

$1.91 COP 6,127

-27.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.16 NOK 404

$7.83 COP 25.0K

438.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 NOK 21.80

$0.94 COP 3,020

141.49%

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

$35.7K NOK 342.8K

$17.8K COP 57.0M

100.62%

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

$35.9K NOK 344.1K

$27.1K COP 86.7M

32.49%

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

$300 NOK 2,875

$83.3 COP 266.4K

260.08%

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

$30.99 NOK 297

$9.66 COP 30.9K

220.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.3 NOK 540

$24.22 COP 77.5K

132.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.39 NOK 474

$25.22 COP 80.7K

95.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.48 NOK 340

$19.33 COP 61.9K

83.55%

Cinema Ticket

$15.10 NOK 145

$4.07 COP 13.0K

271.01%

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

$271 NOK 2,599

$307 COP 981.2K

-11.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K NOK 140.2K

$5,981 COP 19.1M

144.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 NOK 1,002

$60.0 COP 191.9K

74.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.2 NOK 625

$32.65 COP 104.5K

99.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 NOK 1,184

$101 COP 323.5K

22.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 NOK 1,581

$108 COP 345.7K

52.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 NOK 11.8K

$476 COP 1.5M

157.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$901 NOK 8,645

$379 COP 1.2M

137.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,847 NOK 17.7K

$816 COP 2.6M

126.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 NOK 14.7K

$707 COP 2.3M

116.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,887 NOK 56.5K

$3,190 COP 10.2M

84.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,936 NOK 37.8K

$1,446 COP 4.6M

172.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,146 NOK 39.8K

$622 COP 2.0M

566.78%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,228 in Askim and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Askim pays 567% 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: $122 in Askim vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $502 vs $192 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 152% in total monthly costs ($2,569 vs $1,018 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 567% 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: $1,228 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 $122 in Askim. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,569 per month in Askim versus $1,018 in Medellin – a 152% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,018 in Medellin versus $2,569 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 152% less than in Askim. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.