Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Askim Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Askim

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,641 in Medellin versus $2,908 in Askim.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,447 in Medellin versus $4,386 in Askim.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,253 in Medellin versus $5,865 in Askim.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 44% less than in Askim, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 19% above, Askim 111% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$21.05 NOK 195

-61.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$130 NOK 1,208

-62.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$16.15 NOK 150

-41.67%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$5.95 NOK 55.2

-50.59%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$4.14 NOK 38.36

-55.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$3.47 NOK 32.19

-57.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$11.63 NOK 108

-72.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$12.93 NOK 120

-55.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$2.55 NOK 23.65

-43.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$4.27 NOK 39.57

-43.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$4.70 NOK 43.62

-63.83%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$6.22 NOK 57.7

-53.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$15.14 NOK 140

-33.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$15.36 NOK 143

-35.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$29.73 NOK 276

-52.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$3.35 NOK 31.08

18.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$2.71 NOK 25.16

-41.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$3.45 NOK 32.04

-37.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$6.15 NOK 57.0

-62.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$2.65 NOK 24.60

-24.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$2.99 NOK 27.73

-49.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$3.23 NOK 29.97

-62.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$2.45 NOK 22.68

-47.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$19.06 NOK 177

-79.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$17.14 NOK 159

-18.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$3.58 NOK 33.18

-52.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$4.29 NOK 39.84

-36.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$4.58 NOK 42.48

-72.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$84.8 NOK 787

-8.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$12.31 NOK 114

-89.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$1.90 NOK 17.62

14.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$71.1 NOK 660

-88.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$2.36 NOK 21.87

-42.37%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$49.3K NOK 457.0K

-44.23%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$38.8K NOK 359.6K

-5.74%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$426 NOK 3,954

-60.42%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$32.58 NOK 302

-58.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$56.7 NOK 526

-50.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$50.1 NOK 465

-8.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$37.99 NOK 352

-54.67%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$16.36 NOK 152

-59.35%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$246 NOK 2,278

227.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$16.1K NOK 149.8K

-43.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$104 NOK 969

-16.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$61.2 NOK 568

-3.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$138 NOK 1,283

0.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$158 NOK 1,465

-35.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$1,233 NOK 11.4K

-13.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$1,022 NOK 9,480

-36.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$2,015 NOK 18.7K

-4.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$1,708 NOK 15.8K

-38.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$6,526 NOK 60.5K

-36.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$4,254 NOK 39.5K

-60.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$4,325 NOK 40.1K

-84.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.96

120.56%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Askim: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,071 in Medellin and $1,233 in Askim. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Askim pays 560% 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: $48.00 in Medellin vs $130 in Askim for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $518 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

Medellin vs Askim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Askim differ by about 77% in total monthly costs ($1,641 vs $2,908 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 560% lower in Askim. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,071 in Medellin versus $1,233 in Askim. 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 $48.00 versus $130 in Askim. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,641 per month in Medellin versus $2,908 in Askim – a 77% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,641 in Medellin versus $2,908 in Askim, a $2,500 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, Medellin and Askim 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 77% less than in Askim. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.