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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,237 per month in Baerum vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,958 per month in Baerum vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,679 per month in Baerum vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Baerum costs about 89% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Baerum and Medellin sit above the global median – Baerum by 136%, Medellin by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.09 NOK 197

$8.03 COP 25.3K

162.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$130 NOK 1,213

$48.26 COP 152.0K

169.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.22 NOK 151

$9.77 COP 30.8K

66.02%

Cappuccino

$5.94 NOK 55.3

$2.91 COP 9,167

104.12%

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

$4.15 NOK 38.69

$1.94 COP 6,122

113.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 NOK 33.05

$1.52 COP 4,792

133.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.95 NOK 111

$3.09 COP 9,740

286.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.60 NOK 117

$5.74 COP 18.1K

119.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.51 NOK 23.37

$1.36 COP 4,296

84.56%

White Bread (500g)

$3.82 NOK 35.59

$2.39 COP 7,519

59.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.70 NOK 43.76

$1.70 COP 5,356

176.47%

Eggs

$5.84 NOK 54.4

$2.87 COP 9,038

103.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.92 NOK 102

$9.94 COP 31.3K

9.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.69 NOK 146

$10.78 COP 34.0K

45.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$30.26 NOK 282

$14.73 COP 46.4K

105.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 NOK 25.50

$4.09 COP 12.9K

-33.01%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 NOK 19.59

$1.57 COP 4,950

33.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 NOK 19.77

$2.13 COP 6,695

-0.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.22 NOK 39.34

$2.21 COP 6,972

90.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 NOK 15.59

$2.05 COP 6,447

-18.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 NOK 26.90

$1.50 COP 4,737

92.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.19 NOK 29.70

$1.19 COP 3,747

168.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 NOK 23.34

$1.16 COP 3,647

116.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.29 NOK 180

$3.90 COP 12.3K

394.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.53 NOK 154

$14.44 COP 45.5K

14.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.48 NOK 32.46

$1.58 COP 4,987

120.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.26 NOK 39.68

$2.83 COP 8,905

50.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.47 NOK 41.62

$1.17 COP 3,679

282.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.37 NOK 115

$1.28 COP 4,045

866.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 NOK 17.30

$2.09 COP 6,589

-11.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$70.9 NOK 661

$8.62 COP 27.1K

722.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.34 NOK 21.77

$1.30 COP 4,088

80.00%

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

$28.4K NOK 264.2K

$27.7K COP 87.1M

2.53%

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

$25.4K NOK 236.3K

$35.5K COP 111.8M

-28.58%

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

$349 NOK 3,254

$176 COP 554.5K

98.36%

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

$32.91 NOK 307

$13.37 COP 42.1K

146.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.7 NOK 547

$29.89 COP 94.1K

96.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.5 NOK 508

$44.76 COP 141.0K

21.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.7K

Cinema Ticket

$15.74 NOK 147

$6.20 COP 19.5K

153.87%

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

$252 NOK 2,350

$793 COP 2.5M

-68.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K NOK 145.7K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

73.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 NOK 969

$85.6 COP 269.6K

21.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.7 NOK 584

$58.5 COP 184.1K

7.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 NOK 1,275

$136 COP 429.3K

0.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 NOK 1,485

$103 COP 324.7K

54.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,739 NOK 16.2K

$1,060 COP 3.3M

64.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,510 NOK 14.1K

$680 COP 2.1M

122.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,501 NOK 32.6K

$2,012 COP 6.3M

74.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,979 NOK 27.8K

$1,169 COP 3.7M

154.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.3K NOK 105.0K

$4,111 COP 12.9M

174.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.5K NOK 97.9K

$1,701 COP 5.4M

517.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,568 NOK 51.9K

$665 COP 2.1M

737.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.6

10.94

-57.95%

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

Last update for Baerum: September 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,739 in Baerum versus $1,060 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 737% 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 $130 in Baerum versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $476 vs $303 – 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 89%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,855 per month in Baerum and $2,574 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 $3,237 in Baerum and $1,716 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $252 per month in Baerum and $793 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,716, than in Baerum at $3,237. 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.