Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Baerum Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Baerum

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $2,557 in Baerum, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $3,928 in Baerum, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $5,298 in Baerum, rent included.

Medellin is about 60% cheaper than Baerum, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Baerum is 91% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$25.61 NOK 247

-75.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$102 NOK 984

-68.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$13.15 NOK 127

-44.18%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$4.98 NOK 47.99

-65.46%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$2.52 NOK 24.32

-58.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$2.16 NOK 20.87

-64.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$8.84 NOK 85.3

-80.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$9.47 NOK 91.3

-66.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.29 NOK 22.04

-54.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$3.58 NOK 34.52

-63.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$3.21 NOK 30.93

-56.39%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$4.97 NOK 47.96

-56.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$11.42 NOK 110

-61.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$16.31 NOK 157

-63.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$31.23 NOK 301

-72.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$3.56 NOK 34.29

-35.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$2.33 NOK 22.45

-52.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$3.27 NOK 31.55

-53.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$3.98 NOK 38.42

-66.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.21 NOK 21.29

-48.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.14 NOK 20.68

-47.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$2.83 NOK 27.30

-69.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.83 NOK 17.60

-50.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$14.10 NOK 136

-83.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$18.21 NOK 176

-32.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$3.49 NOK 33.62

-65.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$4.01 NOK 38.71

-37.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$4.15 NOK 40.00

-79.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$72.7 NOK 701

-44.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$10.29 NOK 99.2

-86.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.41 NOK 13.55

36.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$42.77 NOK 412

-82.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$2.12 NOK 20.43

-53.30%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$26.8K NOK 258.6K

-32.77%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$24.3K NOK 234.2K

9.65%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$306 NOK 2,952

-73.60%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$40.10 NOK 387

-75.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$38.04 NOK 367

-36.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$50.3 NOK 485

-50.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$35.74 NOK 345

-46.42%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$15.21 NOK 147

-73.83%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$272 NOK 2,625

12.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$14.6K NOK 141.0K

-58.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$105 NOK 1,015

-44.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$46.64 NOK 450

-30.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$99.4 NOK 959

1.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$152 NOK 1,467

-29.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$1,232 NOK 11.9K

-61.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$909 NOK 8,768

-58.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$2,148 NOK 20.7K

-60.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$1,608 NOK 15.5K

-54.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$5,734 NOK 55.3K

-43.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$3,915 NOK 37.8K

-64.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$5,193 NOK 50.1K

-88.12%

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 Baerum: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $1,232 in Baerum. 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 742% higher in Baerum, 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 Baerum. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $472 – 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 Baerum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Baerum is pricier by about 148%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $3,836 in Baerum. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,031 in Medellin and $2,557 in Baerum. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 79% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Baerum at $2,557. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Baerum it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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