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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $3,203 in Baerum, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $4,976 in Baerum, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $6,750 in Baerum, rent included.

Medellin is about 49% cheaper than Baerum, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Baerum sit above the global median – Medellin by 19%, Baerum by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$21.53 NOK 200

-62.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$131 NOK 1,218

-63.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$16.26 NOK 151

-42.07%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$6.16 NOK 57.1

-52.27%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$4.16 NOK 38.56

-55.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$3.50 NOK 32.45

-58.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$11.71 NOK 109

-72.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$12.97 NOK 120

-55.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$2.41 NOK 22.38

-40.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$3.71 NOK 34.42

-35.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$4.51 NOK 41.80

-62.31%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$5.76 NOK 53.4

-49.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$10.59 NOK 98.3

-5.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$15.68 NOK 145

-36.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$30.63 NOK 284

-53.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$2.72 NOK 25.19

46.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$2.17 NOK 20.15

-27.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$2.19 NOK 20.34

-1.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$4.20 NOK 38.97

-45.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$1.68 NOK 15.61

19.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$3.01 NOK 27.89

-49.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$3.22 NOK 29.89

-62.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$2.53 NOK 23.46

-49.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$19.55 NOK 181

-80.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$16.72 NOK 155

-16.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$3.52 NOK 32.65

-51.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$4.26 NOK 39.54

-35.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$4.58 NOK 42.46

-72.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$12.49 NOK 116

-89.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$1.92 NOK 17.77

13.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$71.7 NOK 665

-88.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$2.30 NOK 21.36

-40.87%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$28.8K NOK 267.5K

-4.71%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$26.3K NOK 243.9K

38.99%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$349 NOK 3,239

-51.68%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$33.16 NOK 308

-59.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$57.7 NOK 535

-50.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$54.5 NOK 506

-16.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

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

$247 NOK 2,289

225.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$16.2K NOK 150.0K

-43.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$102 NOK 946

-14.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$63.2 NOK 586

-6.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$138 NOK 1,279

0.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$159 NOK 1,474

-35.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$1,757 NOK 16.3K

-39.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$1,566 NOK 14.5K

-58.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$3,572 NOK 33.1K

-46.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$3,018 NOK 28.0K

-65.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$11.2K NOK 104.0K

-63.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$10.3K NOK 95.4K

-83.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$5,601 NOK 52.0K

-88.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.6

137.83%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Baerum: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $1,757 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 755% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $131 in Baerum. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $475 – 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 95%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $4,804 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 $1,641 in Medellin and $3,203 in Baerum. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $803 per month in Medellin and $247 in Baerum. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,641, than in Baerum at $3,203. 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.