Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Islamabad: $599 a month against $1,614 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $12,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

29

Cost of Living Index in Islamabad
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Islamabad Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Islamabad

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$599

/mo nomad

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,614

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Islamabad and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Islamabad and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $599 per month in Islamabad vs $1,614 in Medellin, rent included.

Islamabad $599
Medellin $1,614

A couple spends around $930 per month in Islamabad vs $2,402 in Medellin, rent included.

Islamabad $930
Medellin $2,402

A family of three spends $1,261 per month in Islamabad vs $3,190 in Medellin, rent included.

Islamabad $1,261
Medellin $3,190

Islamabad is about 63% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Islamabad sits 56% below the global median, while Medellin is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.63 PKR 1,004

$7.93 COP 25.2K

-54.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.40 PKR 6,478

$46.13 COP 146.3K

-49.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.54 PKR 1,534

$9.50 COP 30.1K

-41.68%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.57 PKR 987

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 PKR 1,864

Cappuccino

$2.64 PKR 730

$3.11 COP 9,866

-15.11%

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

$0.32 PKR 89.6

$1.83 COP 5,800

-82.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 63.7

$1.38 COP 4,360

-83.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 COP 9,672

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.50 COP 17.4K

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 PKR 259

$1.45 COP 4,600

-35.17%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 PKR 200

$2.36 COP 7,496

-69.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 PKR 361

$1.68 COP 5,328

-22.62%

Eggs

$1.22 PKR 339

$2.86 COP 9,077

-57.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.05 PKR 1,674

$10.19 COP 32.3K

-40.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 PKR 855

$9.53 COP 30.2K

-67.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.35 PKR 1,482

$14.04 COP 44.5K

-61.89%

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 PKR 350

$4.07 COP 12.9K

-69.04%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 PKR 241

$1.50 COP 4,742

-42.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 PKR 288

$2.17 COP 6,891

-52.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.53 PKR 146

$2.31 COP 7,310

-77.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.29 PKR 81.2

$1.93 COP 6,113

-84.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 99.4

$1.64 COP 5,196

-78.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.28 PKR 76.4

$1.13 COP 3,571

-75.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 PKR 108

$1.25 COP 3,954

-68.80%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.95 PKR 539

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 PKR 331

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 PKR 743

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.24 PKR 619

$3.99 COP 12.6K

-43.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.35 COP 42.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 COP 5,384

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 7,525

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 43.07

$1.21 COP 3,827

-86.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.34 PKR 5,905

$76.5 COP 242.5K

-72.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.24 PKR 344

$1.32 COP 4,179

-6.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 PKR 204

$2.14 COP 6,774

-65.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.60 PKR 442

$8.47 COP 26.8K

-81.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 PKR 378

$1.30 COP 4,114

5.38%

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

$54.5K PKR 15.1M

$28.0K COP 88.7M

94.69%

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

$23.9K PKR 6.6M

$35.4K COP 112.3M

-32.63%

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

$103 PKR 28.6K

$172 COP 545.6K

-40.00%

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

$5.99 PKR 1,658

$13.37 COP 42.4K

-55.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.15 PKR 4,746

$28.73 COP 91.1K

-40.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.20 PKR 7,806

$45.24 COP 143.5K

-37.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.47 PKR 2,344

$17.04 COP 54.0K

-50.29%

Cinema Ticket

$4.43 PKR 1,226

$6.28 COP 19.9K

-29.46%

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

$75.7 PKR 20.9K

$770 COP 2.4M

-90.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,004 PKR 1.4M

$9,011 COP 28.6M

-44.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.72 PKR 7,118

$86.4 COP 274.0K

-70.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.48 PKR 9,543

$57.1 COP 181.1K

-39.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 PKR 26.4K

$137 COP 432.9K

-30.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.32 PKR 11.4K

$97.9 COP 310.4K

-57.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$276 PKR 76.5K

$1,055 COP 3.3M

-73.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$139 PKR 38.3K

$616 COP 2.0M

-77.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$572 PKR 158.2K

$1,892 COP 6.0M

-69.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$270 PKR 74.9K

$1,023 COP 3.2M

-73.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,629 PKR 450.8K

$4,059 COP 12.9M

-59.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$836 PKR 231.5K

$1,678 COP 5.3M

-50.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$380 PKR 105.2K

$652 COP 2.1M

-41.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.08

10.94

19.56%

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

Last update for Islamabad: October 10, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Islamabad

$139 23.1%

Medellin

$616 38.2% 345% $477

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Islamabad

$126 21.1%

Medellin

$214 13.3% 69.4% $88

Groceries & Markets

Islamabad

$102 17%

Medellin

$295 18.3% 189% $193

Clothing & Footwear

Islamabad

$89 14.8%

Medellin

$170 10.5% 91.8% $81

Eating Out

Islamabad

$80 13.3%

Medellin

$168 10.4% 112% $89

Sport & Entertainment

Islamabad

$37 6.2%

Medellin

$58 3.6% 55.9% $21

Getting Around

Islamabad

$27 4.5%

Medellin

$93 5.8% 247% $66

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $276 in Islamabad versus $1,055 in Medellin. 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 72% higher in Medellin, 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 $23.00 in Islamabad versus $46.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $102 vs $295 – making Islamabad the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Islamabad

🇨🇴 Medellin

🕒 Local time

00:11 12:11 AM

14:11 2:11 PM

10 h behind Islamabad

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,009,832 Capital

2,486,723

💱 Currency

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.15 USD

10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to PKR – Pakistani Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇰 Pakistani Rupee (₨)

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD). 1 EUR = 311 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

USD to PKR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Islamabad Medellin 14,480 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Islamabad
Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Islamabad vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 169%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $899 per month in Islamabad and $2,421 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Islamabad, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 189% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Islamabad and $46.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Islamabad, where all-in costs run around $599, than in Medellin at $1,614. In Islamabad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Islamabad – 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 Islamabad. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.