Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Asker Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Asker

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $2,710 in Asker, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $4,047 in Asker, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $5,383 in Asker, rent included.

Medellin is about 62% cheaper than Asker, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Asker is 103% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$25.03 NOK 241

-75.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$102 NOK 981

-67.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$13.45 NOK 130

-45.43%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$5.06 NOK 48.82

-66.01%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$2.63 NOK 25.36

-60.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$2.20 NOK 21.17

-65.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$10.98 NOK 106

-84.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$9.67 NOK 93.3

-67.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.10 NOK 20.27

-50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$3.28 NOK 31.61

-60.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$3.60 NOK 34.75

-61.11%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$4.29 NOK 41.35

-49.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$11.54 NOK 111

-61.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$14.14 NOK 136

-58.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$31.04 NOK 299

-72.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$3.67 NOK 35.39

-37.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$2.59 NOK 25.01

-57.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$3.43 NOK 33.03

-55.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$4.47 NOK 43.08

-69.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.46 NOK 23.73

-54.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.49 NOK 24.00

-54.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$2.76 NOK 26.65

-69.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.98 NOK 19.05

-54.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$14.00 NOK 135

-83.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$18.05 NOK 174

-31.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$3.44 NOK 33.20

-65.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$4.33 NOK 41.76

-42.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$4.36 NOK 42.09

-80.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$78.6 NOK 757

-48.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$10.03 NOK 96.7

-85.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.44 NOK 13.88

33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$42.38 NOK 409

-81.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$2.24 NOK 21.58

-55.80%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$36.5K NOK 352.4K

-50.67%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$41.8K NOK 403.1K

-36.31%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$215 NOK 2,074

-62.43%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$31.43 NOK 303

-68.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$37.26 NOK 359

-35.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$50.2 NOK 484

-50.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$35.77 NOK 345

-46.46%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$14.81 NOK 143

-73.13%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$272 NOK 2,623

12.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$14.7K NOK 141.3K

-58.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$104 NOK 1,001

-44.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$47.03 NOK 453

-31.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$124 NOK 1,193

-18.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$152 NOK 1,463

-28.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$1,532 NOK 14.8K

-68.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$1,199 NOK 11.6K

-68.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$2,188 NOK 21.1K

-61.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$1,762 NOK 17.0K

-58.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$9,406 NOK 90.7K

-65.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$3,932 NOK 37.9K

-65.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$3,720 NOK 35.9K

-83.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.38

206.62%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Asker: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $1,532 in Asker. 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 503% higher in Asker, 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $102 in Asker. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $463 – 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

Medellin vs Asker: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Asker costs about 163% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $4,065 in Asker. 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.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Medellin and $272 in Asker. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 140% more in Asker, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Asker at $2,710. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Asker it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,031 versus $2,710 in Asker. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Asker makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.