Cost of Living Comparison Between Karachi and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Karachi and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $477 in Karachi versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $727 in Karachi versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $978 in Karachi versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Karachi costs roughly 53% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Karachi 64% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.14 PKR 595

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-64.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.44 PKR 3,461

$32.86 COP 117.2K

-62.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.06 PKR 1,129

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-42.74%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 PKR 553

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.22 PKR 1,451

Cappuccino

$1.89 PKR 525

$1.71 COP 6,105

10.53%

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

$0.36 PKR 101

$1.10 COP 3,918

-67.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.2

$0.78 COP 2,776

-70.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 PKR 231

$1.09 COP 3,899

-23.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 PKR 161

$1.26 COP 4,500

-53.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 PKR 315

$1.38 COP 4,914

-18.12%

Eggs

$1.21 PKR 337

$2.19 COP 7,813

-44.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.29 PKR 1,749

$4.40 COP 15.7K

42.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 PKR 887

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-43.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.91 PKR 1,365

$8.89 COP 31.7K

-44.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 PKR 287

$2.34 COP 8,334

-55.98%

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 PKR 162

$1.06 COP 3,771

-45.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.93 PKR 258

$1.50 COP 5,365

-38.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 156

$1.38 COP 4,915

-59.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 PKR 108

$1.15 COP 4,104

-66.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 PKR 141

$1.16 COP 4,148

-56.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 PKR 107

$0.89 COP 3,176

-57.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 PKR 120

$0.84 COP 2,992

-48.81%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.28 PKR 356

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 PKR 351

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 PKR 580

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.08 PKR 580

$2.28 COP 8,131

-8.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 PKR 94.4

$0.86 COP 3,051

-60.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.33 PKR 1,762

$41.40 COP 147.6K

-84.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 PKR 205

$1.47 COP 5,255

-49.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 PKR 171

$1.96 COP 6,997

-68.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.79 PKR 497

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-76.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 PKR 256

$0.95 COP 3,403

-3.16%

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

$16.4K PKR 4.6M

$18.1K COP 64.6M

-9.54%

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

$24.5K PKR 6.8M

$26.5K COP 94.4M

-7.60%

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

$132 PKR 36.8K

$82.3 COP 293.2K

60.85%

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

$4.90 PKR 1,362

$9.50 COP 33.9K

-48.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.63 PKR 3,791

$24.23 COP 86.4K

-43.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.55 PKR 4,325

$25.89 COP 92.3K

-39.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.33 PKR 3,986

$19.00 COP 67.7K

-24.58%

Cinema Ticket

$4.33 PKR 1,203

$3.93 COP 14.0K

10.18%

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

$58.0 PKR 16.1K

$309 COP 1.1M

-81.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,402 PKR 389.9K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-76.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.73 PKR 4,932

$58.7 COP 209.1K

-69.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.51 PKR 7,097

$32.35 COP 115.3K

-21.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.2 PKR 17.8K

$103 COP 365.7K

-37.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.86 PKR 9,975

$108 COP 386.5K

-66.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$122 PKR 33.8K

$476 COP 1.7M

-74.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$73.9 PKR 20.6K

$379 COP 1.4M

-80.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$323 PKR 89.8K

$838 COP 3.0M

-61.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 PKR 50.6K

$724 COP 2.6M

-74.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$985 PKR 273.9K

$2,791 COP 9.9M

-64.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$457 PKR 127.2K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-62.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$181 PKR 50.2K

$512 COP 1.8M

-64.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.8

13.43

32.54%

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

Last update for Karachi: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $122 in Karachi and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 184% 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: $12.00 in Karachi vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $97.0 vs $188 per month, with Karachi 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

Karachi vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karachi and Medellin differ by about 113% in total monthly costs ($477 vs $1,013 including rent). Karachi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Medellin earns 184% 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: $122 in Karachi versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $477 per month in Karachi versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 113% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Karachi runs roughly 554% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $477 in Karachi versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Karachi but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Karachi 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.

Expats usually find Karachi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 113% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.