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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,560 per month in Baerum vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,853 per month in Baerum vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,146 per month in Baerum vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Baerum costs about 153% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Baerum sits 91% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.44 NOK 236

$5.99 COP 21.4K

324.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 NOK 959

$32.86 COP 117.4K

214.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.54 NOK 126

$7.09 COP 25.3K

90.97%

Cappuccino

$5.07 NOK 47.08

$1.71 COP 6,115

196.49%

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

$2.52 NOK 23.37

$1.10 COP 3,924

129.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 NOK 19.75

$0.78 COP 2,781

173.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.96 NOK 83.2

$1.68 COP 5,997

433.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.87 NOK 91.7

$3.07 COP 11.0K

221.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 NOK 21.27

$1.09 COP 3,906

110.09%

White Bread (500g)

$3.56 NOK 33.07

$1.26 COP 4,508

182.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.16 NOK 29.35

$1.38 COP 4,922

128.99%

Eggs

$5.03 NOK 46.70

$2.19 COP 7,827

129.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.44 NOK 106

$4.40 COP 15.7K

160.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.92 NOK 148

$5.63 COP 20.1K

182.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$31.04 NOK 288

$8.89 COP 31.8K

249.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 NOK 33.14

$2.34 COP 8,349

52.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.32 NOK 21.51

$1.06 COP 3,777

118.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.32 NOK 30.83

$1.50 COP 5,374

121.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 NOK 38.89

$1.38 COP 4,924

203.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 NOK 21.33

$1.15 COP 4,111

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 NOK 20.68

$1.16 COP 4,155

92.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 NOK 26.50

$0.89 COP 3,182

220.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 NOK 16.90

$0.84 COP 2,997

116.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.05 NOK 131

$2.28 COP 8,145

516.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.53 NOK 181

$10.64 COP 38.0K

83.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.47 NOK 32.22

$1.20 COP 4,284

189.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 NOK 37.45

$2.47 COP 8,824

63.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.13 NOK 38.41

$0.86 COP 3,056

380.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 NOK 683

$41.40 COP 147.9K

77.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.95 NOK 92.4

$1.47 COP 5,264

576.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 NOK 13.42

$1.96 COP 7,009

-26.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.95 NOK 399

$7.74 COP 27.6K

454.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 NOK 19.75

$0.95 COP 3,409

124.21%

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

$27.9K NOK 258.8K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

53.62%

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

$24.6K NOK 228.9K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-6.98%

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

$305 NOK 2,829

$82.3 COP 293.7K

270.24%

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

$41.01 NOK 381

$9.50 COP 33.9K

331.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.37 NOK 347

$24.23 COP 86.5K

54.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.5 NOK 469

$25.89 COP 92.4K

95.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.85 NOK 333

$19.00 COP 67.9K

88.68%

Cinema Ticket

$15.44 NOK 143

$3.93 COP 14.0K

292.88%

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

$268 NOK 2,488

$309 COP 1.1M

-13.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K NOK 138.5K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

149.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 NOK 977

$58.7 COP 209.5K

79.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.13 NOK 438

$32.35 COP 115.5K

45.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.7 NOK 926

$103 COP 366.4K

-2.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 NOK 1,410

$108 COP 387.2K

39.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,216 NOK 11.3K

$476 COP 1.7M

155.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$908 NOK 8,438

$379 COP 1.4M

139.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,140 NOK 19.9K

$838 COP 3.0M

155.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,613 NOK 15.0K

$724 COP 2.6M

122.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,036 NOK 56.1K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

116.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,455 NOK 41.4K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

267.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,515 NOK 51.2K

$512 COP 1.8M

977.68%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,216 in Baerum versus $476 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 978% 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 $103 in Baerum versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $473 vs $188 – 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 153%, 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 $3,840 per month in Baerum and $1,519 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 $2,560 in Baerum and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 78% 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 $1,013, than in Baerum at $2,560. 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.