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: $475 in Karachi versus $1,641 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $735 in Karachi versus $2,447 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $995 in Karachi versus $3,253 in Medellin.

Living in Karachi costs roughly 71% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Karachi is 66% below, Medellin is 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.11 PKR 584

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-73.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.17 PKR 3,924

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-70.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.56 PKR 1,540

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-40.98%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 PKR 591

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 PKR 1,988

Cappuccino

$2.29 PKR 633

$2.94 COP 9,040

-22.11%

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

$0.38 PKR 106

$1.86 COP 5,735

-79.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 66.0

$1.46 COP 4,479

-83.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 PKR 237

$1.44 COP 4,428

-40.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 PKR 157

$2.40 COP 7,389

-76.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 PKR 337

$1.70 COP 5,228

-28.24%

Eggs

$1.22 PKR 339

$2.89 COP 8,896

-57.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.08 PKR 1,684

$10.06 COP 30.9K

-39.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.14 PKR 870

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-68.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.25 PKR 1,732

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-55.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 PKR 339

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-69.35%

Banana (1kg)

$0.59 PKR 163

$1.58 COP 4,878

-62.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 PKR 274

$2.15 COP 6,624

-53.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 154

$2.30 COP 7,078

-75.65%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 95.7

$2.00 COP 6,169

-82.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 91.5

$1.51 COP 4,646

-78.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.36 PKR 101

$1.20 COP 3,701

-70.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 PKR 111

$1.28 COP 3,946

-68.75%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.29 PKR 357

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 PKR 367

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 PKR 692

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.79 PKR 496

$3.84 COP 11.8K

-53.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 PKR 83.7

$1.25 COP 3,834

-76.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.95 PKR 2,201

$77.9 COP 239.7K

-89.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 PKR 195

$1.31 COP 4,016

-46.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 PKR 203

$2.17 COP 6,680

-66.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.12 PKR 587

$8.29 COP 25.5K

-74.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 PKR 371

$1.36 COP 4,172

-1.47%

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

$18.0K PKR 5.0M

$27.5K COP 84.5M

-34.45%

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

$27.2K PKR 7.5M

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-25.53%

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

$110 PKR 30.5K

$169 COP 519.2K

-34.80%

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

$5.71 PKR 1,582

$13.57 COP 41.8K

-57.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.12 PKR 3,634

$28.32 COP 87.2K

-53.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.28 PKR 5,896

$45.71 COP 140.7K

-53.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.76 PKR 5,198

$17.22 COP 53.0K

8.94%

Cinema Ticket

$4.20 PKR 1,164

$6.65 COP 20.5K

-36.84%

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

$50.3 PKR 13.9K

$803 COP 2.5M

-93.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,589 PKR 440.2K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-82.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.49 PKR 4,290

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-82.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.03 PKR 6,104

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-62.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.7 PKR 18.7K

$139 COP 427.5K

-51.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.00 PKR 10.5K

$102 COP 314.0K

-62.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$108 PKR 29.8K

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-89.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$71.6 PKR 19.8K

$653 COP 2.0M

-89.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$323 PKR 89.4K

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-83.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$184 PKR 51.0K

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-82.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,036 PKR 287.0K

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-74.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$470 PKR 130.2K

$1,697 COP 5.2M

-72.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$182 PKR 50.4K

$655 COP 2.0M

-72.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.88

10.94

17.73%

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

Last update for Karachi: September 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $108 in Karachi and $1,071 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 260% 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: $14.00 in Karachi vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $101 vs $300 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 245% in total monthly costs ($475 vs $1,641 including rent). Karachi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 260% lower in Medellin. 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: $108 in Karachi versus $1,071 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $475 per month in Karachi versus $1,641 in Medellin – a 245% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Karachi runs roughly 880% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $475 in Karachi versus $1,641 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 245% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.