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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $2,641 in Askim.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $4,014 in Askim.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $5,387 in Askim.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 62% less than in Askim, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 24% below, Askim is 96% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$25.47 NOK 242

-76.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$120 NOK 1,141

-72.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$15.44 NOK 147

-53.17%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$4.81 NOK 45.70

-66.11%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$4.06 NOK 38.49

-73.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$3.18 NOK 30.15

-77.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$12.04 NOK 114

-85.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$11.30 NOK 107

-71.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$2.38 NOK 22.54

-55.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$4.13 NOK 39.24

-68.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$3.52 NOK 33.39

-62.50%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$5.12 NOK 48.56

-55.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$13.26 NOK 126

-67.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$16.48 NOK 156

-64.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$31.70 NOK 301

-72.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$3.58 NOK 33.94

-37.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$2.51 NOK 23.80

-57.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$3.28 NOK 31.16

-53.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$5.15 NOK 48.84

-72.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$2.52 NOK 23.90

-53.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$2.68 NOK 25.40

-56.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$2.84 NOK 26.99

-68.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$2.40 NOK 22.79

-62.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$16.92 NOK 161

-86.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$19.18 NOK 182

-42.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$3.52 NOK 33.45

-67.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$4.36 NOK 41.37

-45.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$4.14 NOK 39.28

-79.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$74.0 NOK 703

-43.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$10.09 NOK 95.8

-86.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.46 NOK 13.86

30.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$42.48 NOK 403

-81.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$2.17 NOK 20.58

-53.46%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$36.0K NOK 341.7K

-51.16%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$36.9K NOK 350.3K

-28.22%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$300 NOK 2,845

-72.09%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$31.25 NOK 297

-69.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$55.7 NOK 528

-56.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$49.99 NOK 474

-49.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$35.77 NOK 340

-46.49%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$14.97 NOK 142

-72.61%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$273 NOK 2,591

14.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$14.6K NOK 138.8K

-59.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$103 NOK 977

-43.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$64.9 NOK 616

-49.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$124 NOK 1,178

-19.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$166 NOK 1,576

-34.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$1,198 NOK 11.4K

-59.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$882 NOK 8,371

-56.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$1,827 NOK 17.3K

-54.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$1,522 NOK 14.5K

-52.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$6,010 NOK 57.0K

-52.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$4,498 NOK 42.7K

-72.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$4,186 NOK 39.7K

-87.08%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Askim: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $1,198 in Askim. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Askim pays 674% 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 $120 in Askim for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $506 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 160% in total monthly costs ($1,017 vs $2,641 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Askim earns 674% 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: $482 in Medellin versus $1,198 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 $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $2,641 in Askim – a 160% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $2,641 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 160% less than in Askim. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.