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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $2,560 in Baerum, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $3,853 in Baerum, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $5,146 in Baerum, rent included.

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

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Baerum is 91% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$25.44 NOK 236

-76.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$103 NOK 959

-68.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$13.54 NOK 126

-47.64%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$5.07 NOK 47.08

-66.27%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$2.52 NOK 23.37

-56.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$2.13 NOK 19.75

-63.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$8.96 NOK 83.2

-81.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$9.87 NOK 91.7

-68.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$2.29 NOK 21.27

-52.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$3.56 NOK 33.07

-64.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$3.16 NOK 29.35

-56.33%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$5.03 NOK 46.70

-56.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$11.44 NOK 106

-61.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$15.92 NOK 148

-64.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$31.04 NOK 288

-71.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$3.57 NOK 33.14

-34.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$2.32 NOK 21.51

-54.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$3.32 NOK 30.83

-54.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$4.19 NOK 38.89

-67.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$2.30 NOK 21.33

-50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$2.23 NOK 20.68

-47.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$2.85 NOK 26.50

-68.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$1.82 NOK 16.90

-53.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$14.05 NOK 131

-83.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$19.53 NOK 181

-45.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$3.47 NOK 32.22

-65.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$4.03 NOK 37.45

-38.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$4.13 NOK 38.41

-79.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$73.5 NOK 683

-43.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$9.95 NOK 92.4

-85.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$1.44 NOK 13.42

36.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$42.95 NOK 399

-81.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$2.13 NOK 19.75

-55.40%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$27.9K NOK 258.8K

-34.91%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$24.6K NOK 228.9K

7.50%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$305 NOK 2,829

-72.99%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$41.01 NOK 381

-76.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$37.37 NOK 347

-35.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$50.5 NOK 469

-48.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$35.85 NOK 333

-47.00%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$15.44 NOK 143

-74.55%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$268 NOK 2,488

15.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$14.9K NOK 138.5K

-60.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$105 NOK 977

-44.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$47.13 NOK 438

-31.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$99.7 NOK 926

2.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$152 NOK 1,410

-28.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$1,216 NOK 11.3K

-60.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$908 NOK 8,438

-58.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$2,140 NOK 19.9K

-60.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$1,613 NOK 15.0K

-55.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$6,036 NOK 56.1K

-53.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$4,455 NOK 41.4K

-72.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$5,515 NOK 51.2K

-90.72%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Baerum: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $1,216 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 978% 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 $103 in Baerum. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $473 – 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 153%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $3,840 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $2,560 in Baerum. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 78% 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 $1,013, than in Baerum at $2,560. 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.