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: $1,030 in Medellin versus $2,552 in Askim.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,586 in Medellin versus $3,982 in Askim.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $5,412 in Askim.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 60% less than in Askim, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% below, Askim is 90% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.2K

$25.08 NOK 233

-76.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 COP 118.7K

$120 NOK 1,119

-72.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 COP 25.9K

$15.02 NOK 140

-51.73%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,137

$5.09 NOK 47.32

-66.40%

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

$1.09 COP 3,915

$4.14 NOK 38.55

-73.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,743

$3.37 NOK 31.32

-77.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 COP 6,254

$12.11 NOK 113

-85.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 11.4K

$11.35 NOK 106

-71.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,792

$2.39 NOK 22.26

-55.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,657

$3.97 NOK 36.94

-67.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,926

$3.63 NOK 33.76

-61.98%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,908

$5.21 NOK 48.46

-57.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 COP 16.2K

$13.61 NOK 127

-66.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.7K

$16.35 NOK 152

-64.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 32.1K

$31.42 NOK 292

-71.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 COP 8,182

$3.52 NOK 32.74

-34.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,791

$2.52 NOK 23.47

-57.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 5,411

$3.31 NOK 30.78

-54.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,869

$5.04 NOK 46.83

-73.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,146

$2.51 NOK 23.35

-53.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,174

$2.58 NOK 24.00

-54.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,960

$2.82 NOK 26.23

-70.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 3,043

$2.40 NOK 22.36

-64.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,423

$17.00 NOK 158

-86.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 COP 39.7K

$18.88 NOK 176

-41.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,133

$3.49 NOK 32.46

-67.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,853

$4.32 NOK 40.17

-42.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,827

$4.22 NOK 39.25

-81.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

$73.7 NOK 685

-43.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,140

$9.98 NOK 92.9

-85.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,793

$1.45 NOK 13.47

31.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 COP 27.6K

$41.73 NOK 388

-81.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,680

$2.28 NOK 21.25

-54.82%

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

$17.7K COP 63.3M

$35.8K NOK 333.2K

-50.64%

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

$27.0K COP 96.7M

$36.1K NOK 335.7K

-25.16%

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

$81.4 COP 291.4K

$297 NOK 2,765

-72.62%

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

$9.42 COP 33.7K

$31.29 NOK 291

-69.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.77 COP 85.1K

$56.0 NOK 521

-57.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 92.6K

$49.64 NOK 462

-47.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

$35.83 NOK 333

-46.02%

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 14.5K

$15.00 NOK 140

-73.00%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$275 NOK 2,553

13.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,067 COP 21.7M

$14.7K NOK 137.0K

-58.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 210.7K

$102 NOK 946

-42.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 117.5K

$65.0 NOK 605

-49.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 359.6K

$122 NOK 1,131

-17.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 380.3K

$164 NOK 1,525

-35.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.8M

$1,192 NOK 11.1K

-58.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$905 NOK 8,417

-59.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,798 NOK 16.7K

-53.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

$1,554 NOK 14.5K

-53.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

$5,987 NOK 55.7K

-50.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

$4,471 NOK 41.6K

-68.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

$4,165 NOK 38.7K

-87.23%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Askim: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Medellin and $1,192 in Askim. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Askim pays 683% 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 in Medellin vs $120 in Askim for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $504 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 148% in total monthly costs ($1,030 vs $2,552 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Askim earns 683% less. 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: $490 in Medellin versus $1,192 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 $120 in Askim. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,030 per month in Medellin versus $2,552 in Askim – a 148% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,030 in Medellin versus $2,552 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 148% less than in Askim. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.