Cost of Living Comparison Between Lahore and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Lahore and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $484 in Lahore versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $727 in Lahore versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $970 in Lahore versus $2,167 in Medellin.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Lahore 64% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.09 PKR 580

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-66.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.06 PKR 3,903

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-56.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.35 PKR 1,207

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-40.74%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.75 PKR 765

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 PKR 1,018

Cappuccino

$2.39 PKR 663

$1.72 COP 5,600

38.95%

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

$0.36 PKR 98.7

$1.05 COP 3,420

-65.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.3

$0.77 COP 2,515

-72.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 PKR 260

$1.05 COP 3,423

-10.48%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 PKR 158

$1.30 COP 4,236

-56.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 PKR 337

$1.40 COP 4,544

-13.57%

Eggs

$1.21 PKR 337

$2.16 COP 7,047

-43.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.18 PKR 1,717

$4.39 COP 14.3K

40.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.02 PKR 839

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-48.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.55 PKR 1,263

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-47.34%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 PKR 293

$2.28 COP 7,426

-53.51%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 PKR 175

$1.11 COP 3,604

-43.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.61 PKR 169

$1.53 COP 4,983

-60.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 PKR 131

$1.35 COP 4,410

-65.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 98.8

$1.13 COP 3,674

-68.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 132

$1.13 COP 3,692

-57.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 PKR 131

$0.85 COP 2,753

-44.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 PKR 98.3

$0.91 COP 2,975

-61.54%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.11 PKR 308

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 PKR 143

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 PKR 306

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 PKR 546

$2.34 COP 7,630

-15.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 51.2

$0.84 COP 2,728

-78.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.92 PKR 1,922

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-82.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 PKR 202

$1.42 COP 4,623

-48.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 PKR 137

$1.92 COP 6,235

-74.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.80 PKR 501

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-76.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 266

$0.99 COP 3,223

-3.03%

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

$17.5K PKR 4.9M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

-3.02%

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

$23.4K PKR 6.5M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-11.99%

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

$141 PKR 39.2K

$80.8 COP 263.1K

74.71%

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

$5.31 PKR 1,473

$9.95 COP 32.4K

-46.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.33 PKR 4,811

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-28.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.73 PKR 3,813

$25.08 COP 81.7K

-45.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.94 PKR 1,649

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-68.98%

Cinema Ticket

$4.29 PKR 1,191

$3.98 COP 13.0K

7.79%

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

$34.60 PKR 9,608

$305 COP 993.5K

-88.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,253 PKR 347.9K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-79.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.40 PKR 4,276

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-73.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.27 PKR 6,462

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-27.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.8 PKR 19.9K

$101 COP 327.9K

-28.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.56 PKR 8,486

$108 COP 350.8K

-71.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$120 PKR 33.3K

$477 COP 1.6M

-74.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$75.9 PKR 21.1K

$376 COP 1.2M

-79.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$291 PKR 80.9K

$845 COP 2.7M

-65.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 PKR 52.2K

$730 COP 2.4M

-74.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$844 PKR 234.5K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-73.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$590 PKR 163.7K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-57.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$185 PKR 51.5K

$617 COP 2.0M

-69.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.88

13.43

48.03%

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

Last update for Lahore: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $120 in Lahore and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 233% 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 Lahore vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $94.0 vs $193 per month, with Lahore 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

Lahore vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lahore and Medellin differ by about 113% in total monthly costs ($484 vs $1,031 including rent). Lahore is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 233% 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: $120 in Lahore versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 105% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Lahore – a meal for two runs $14.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $484 in Lahore versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lahore but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Lahore 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 Lahore 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.