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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $2,569 in Askim.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $3,970 in Askim.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $5,371 in Askim.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 61% less than in Askim, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 25% below, Askim is 93% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$25.08 NOK 241

-76.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$123 NOK 1,181

-73.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$14.96 NOK 143

-50.33%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$4.86 NOK 46.61

-66.05%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$4.03 NOK 38.62

-72.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$3.28 NOK 31.50

-76.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$12.02 NOK 115

-85.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$11.32 NOK 109

-71.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$2.39 NOK 22.90

-53.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$4.13 NOK 39.66

-69.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$3.50 NOK 33.59

-60.57%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$5.11 NOK 49.02

-57.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$13.52 NOK 130

-66.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$16.41 NOK 157

-64.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$30.90 NOK 296

-70.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$3.47 NOK 33.25

-33.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$2.61 NOK 25.01

-59.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$3.43 NOK 32.92

-55.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$5.11 NOK 49.03

-73.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$2.43 NOK 23.35

-53.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$2.60 NOK 24.93

-55.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$2.85 NOK 27.30

-68.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$2.43 NOK 23.29

-62.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$17.04 NOK 163

-86.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$18.36 NOK 176

-33.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$3.34 NOK 32.09

-64.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$4.28 NOK 41.03

-42.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$4.26 NOK 40.90

-80.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

$72.5 NOK 695

-42.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$10.20 NOK 97.9

-86.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$1.43 NOK 13.76

36.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$42.04 NOK 403

-81.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$2.17 NOK 20.81

-54.38%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$35.6K NOK 341.5K

-50.56%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$36.0K NOK 345.6K

-25.62%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$300 NOK 2,881

-72.36%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$30.86 NOK 296

-68.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$56.5 NOK 542

-58.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$48.58 NOK 466

-48.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

$35.74 NOK 343

-46.56%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$15.38 NOK 148

-74.32%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$275 NOK 2,633

15.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$14.7K NOK 140.8K

-59.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$105 NOK 1,010

-43.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$65.1 NOK 624

-51.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$123 NOK 1,179

-17.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$166 NOK 1,595

-35.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$1,222 NOK 11.7K

-61.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$902 NOK 8,655

-58.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$1,798 NOK 17.3K

-52.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$1,544 NOK 14.8K

-53.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

$5,941 NOK 57.0K

-45.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

$3,934 NOK 37.7K

-63.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$4,068 NOK 39.0K

-84.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.08

164.37%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Askim: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $1,222 in Askim. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Askim pays 552% 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $123 in Askim for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $502 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 156% in total monthly costs ($1,003 vs $2,569 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 552% 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: $475 in Medellin versus $1,222 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 $33.00 versus $123 in Askim. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $2,569 in Askim – a 156% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $2,569 in Askim, a $1,500 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 156% less than in Askim. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.