Cost of Living Comparison Between Baerum and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Baerum and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,557 per month in Baerum vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,928 per month in Baerum vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,298 per month in Baerum vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Baerum costs about 148% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Baerum sits 91% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.61 NOK 247

$6.16 COP 20.0K

315.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 NOK 983

$32.60 COP 106.0K

212.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.15 NOK 127

$7.34 COP 23.9K

79.16%

Cappuccino

$4.98 NOK 47.93

$1.72 COP 5,592

189.53%

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

$2.52 NOK 24.29

$1.05 COP 3,416

140.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 NOK 20.84

$0.77 COP 2,511

180.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.84 NOK 85.2

$1.69 COP 5,480

423.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.47 NOK 91.2

$3.17 COP 10.3K

198.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 NOK 22.01

$1.05 COP 3,418

118.10%

White Bread (500g)

$3.58 NOK 34.48

$1.30 COP 4,230

175.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.21 NOK 30.89

$1.40 COP 4,538

129.29%

Eggs

$4.97 NOK 47.90

$2.16 COP 7,037

130.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.42 NOK 110

$4.39 COP 14.3K

160.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.31 NOK 157

$5.88 COP 19.1K

177.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$31.23 NOK 301

$8.64 COP 28.1K

261.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.56 NOK 34.26

$2.28 COP 7,415

56.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 NOK 22.42

$1.11 COP 3,599

109.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 NOK 31.51

$1.53 COP 4,976

113.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 NOK 38.38

$1.35 COP 4,405

194.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 NOK 21.26

$1.13 COP 3,669

95.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 NOK 20.66

$1.13 COP 3,687

89.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.83 NOK 27.27

$0.85 COP 2,749

232.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 NOK 17.58

$0.91 COP 2,971

101.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.10 NOK 136

$2.34 COP 7,619

502.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.21 NOK 175

$12.37 COP 40.2K

47.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.49 NOK 33.58

$1.20 COP 3,904

190.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 NOK 38.66

$2.49 COP 8,094

61.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.15 NOK 39.95

$0.84 COP 2,724

394.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.7 NOK 701

$40.57 COP 131.9K

79.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.29 NOK 99.1

$1.42 COP 4,617

624.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 NOK 13.54

$1.92 COP 6,227

-26.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.77 NOK 412

$7.66 COP 24.9K

458.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.12 NOK 20.41

$0.99 COP 3,219

114.14%

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

$26.8K NOK 258.3K

$18.0K COP 58.6M

48.73%

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

$24.3K NOK 233.9K

$26.6K COP 86.6M

-8.80%

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

$306 NOK 2,949

$80.8 COP 262.7K

278.85%

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

$40.10 NOK 386

$9.95 COP 32.3K

303.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.04 NOK 366

$24.18 COP 78.6K

57.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.3 NOK 485

$25.08 COP 81.5K

100.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.74 NOK 344

$19.15 COP 62.3K

86.63%

Cinema Ticket

$15.21 NOK 146

$3.98 COP 13.0K

282.16%

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

$272 NOK 2,622

$305 COP 992.2K

-10.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K NOK 140.9K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

141.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 NOK 1,014

$58.1 COP 189.0K

81.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.64 NOK 449

$32.20 COP 104.7K

44.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.4 NOK 958

$101 COP 327.5K

-1.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 NOK 1,465

$108 COP 350.3K

41.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 NOK 11.9K

$477 COP 1.5M

158.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$909 NOK 8,758

$376 COP 1.2M

141.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,148 NOK 20.7K

$845 COP 2.7M

154.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,608 NOK 15.5K

$730 COP 2.4M

120.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,734 NOK 55.2K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

78.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,915 NOK 37.7K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

185.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,193 NOK 50.0K

$617 COP 2.0M

741.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.38

13.43

-67.39%

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

Last update for Baerum: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,232 in Baerum versus $477 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 run about 742% higher in Baerum, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $102 in Baerum versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $472 vs $193 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Baerum vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Baerum is pricier by about 148%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,836 per month in Baerum and $1,546 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,557 in Baerum and $1,031 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 79% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Baerum at $2,557. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Baerum it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Baerum makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.