Cost of Living Comparison Between Mardan and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Mardan and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $433 in Mardan versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $641 in Mardan versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $848 in Mardan versus $2,120 in Medellin.

Living in Mardan costs roughly 58% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mardan 68% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.18 PKR 608

$5.92 COP 21.5K

-63.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.39 PKR 4,017

$32.75 COP 119.1K

-56.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.35 PKR 1,493

$7.20 COP 26.2K

-25.69%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 PKR 488

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 PKR 1,098

Cappuccino

$2.06 PKR 575

$1.70 COP 6,186

21.18%

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

$0.29 PKR 79.9

$1.10 COP 3,996

-73.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 61.1

$0.72 COP 2,625

-69.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,067

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 PKR 217

$1.06 COP 3,837

-26.42%

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 PKR 183

$1.25 COP 4,531

-48.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 234

$1.39 COP 5,060

-39.57%

Eggs

$1.16 PKR 323

$2.26 COP 8,229

-48.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.03 PKR 1,682

$4.33 COP 15.8K

39.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.39 PKR 667

$5.84 COP 21.2K

-59.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.10 PKR 867

$8.83 COP 32.1K

-64.89%

Apples (1kg)

$0.74 PKR 206

$2.24 COP 8,159

-66.96%

Banana (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 153

$1.08 COP 3,911

-49.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.95 PKR 266

$1.53 COP 5,563

-37.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.30 PKR 84.9

$1.37 COP 4,987

-78.10%

Potato (1kg)

$0.24 PKR 66.9

$1.13 COP 4,109

-78.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.37 PKR 102

$1.12 COP 4,067

-66.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 86.2

$0.85 COP 3,080

-63.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.15 PKR 41.22

$0.91 COP 3,305

-83.52%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.98 PKR 553

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 PKR 243

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 PKR 555

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.37 PKR 384

$2.33 COP 8,477

-41.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,342

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,617

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 49.07

$0.79 COP 2,859

-77.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.04 PKR 1,966

$41.13 COP 149.6K

-82.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.36 PKR 102

$1.44 COP 5,223

-75.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 PKR 96.1

$1.91 COP 6,952

-82.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 PKR 506

$8.02 COP 29.2K

-77.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 PKR 271

$0.94 COP 3,410

3.19%

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

$20.8K PKR 5.8M

$17.9K COP 65.2M

16.20%

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

$26.2K PKR 7.3M

$26.8K COP 97.4M

-2.08%

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

$114 PKR 31.9K

$84.0 COP 305.4K

35.97%

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

$5.37 PKR 1,499

$9.60 COP 34.9K

-44.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.43 PKR 5,144

$24.16 COP 87.9K

-23.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.43 PKR 3,469

$25.88 COP 94.1K

-51.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.91 PKR 1,649

$19.04 COP 69.3K

-68.96%

Cinema Ticket

$4.18 PKR 1,166

$3.92 COP 14.2K

6.63%

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

$17.36 PKR 4,845

$306 COP 1.1M

-94.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,128 PKR 314.8K

$5,919 COP 21.5M

-80.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.42 PKR 5,978

$57.9 COP 210.6K

-63.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.91 PKR 7,791

$31.82 COP 115.7K

-12.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 PKR 25.0K

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-10.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.55 PKR 4,899

$107 COP 389.7K

-83.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$75.8 PKR 21.2K

$487 COP 1.8M

-84.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$51.6 PKR 14.4K

$368 COP 1.3M

-85.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$164 PKR 45.9K

$826 COP 3.0M

-80.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 PKR 30.2K

$716 COP 2.6M

-84.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$270 PKR 75.3K

$546 COP 2.0M

-50.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

13.43

50.41%

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

Last update for Mardan: April 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $75.8 in Mardan and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 102% 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 Mardan vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $78.0 vs $190 per month, with Mardan 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

Mardan vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mardan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 139% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Medellin earns 102% 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: $75.8 in Mardan versus $487 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $17.36 in Mardan versus $306 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 142% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $433 in Mardan versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mardan but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Mardan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mardan is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Mardan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 139% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.