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: $500 in Mardan versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $767 in Mardan versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,033 in Mardan versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Mardan costs roughly 70% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mardan is 63% below, Medellin is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 PKR 994

$8.02 COP 25.0K

-55.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.00 PKR 6,371

$47.87 COP 149.4K

-51.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.53 PKR 1,531

$9.89 COP 30.8K

-44.08%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 PKR 994

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.92 PKR 1,918

Cappuccino

$2.62 PKR 725

$3.13 COP 9,767

-16.29%

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

$0.36 PKR 98.5

$1.91 COP 5,954

-81.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.0

$1.51 COP 4,712

-84.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 252

$1.44 COP 4,509

-36.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 PKR 220

$2.49 COP 7,759

-68.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 PKR 357

$1.77 COP 5,535

-27.12%

Eggs

$1.21 PKR 336

$2.96 COP 9,235

-59.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.97 PKR 823

$10.07 COP 31.4K

-70.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 PKR 864

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-69.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.74 PKR 1,035

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-73.85%

Apples (1kg)

$0.94 PKR 260

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-77.29%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 PKR 205

$1.61 COP 5,019

-54.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 PKR 295

$2.25 COP 7,007

-52.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.37 PKR 103

$2.25 COP 7,028

-83.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.28 PKR 78.3

$2.04 COP 6,375

-86.27%

Onion (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 98.2

$1.54 COP 4,790

-77.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.28 PKR 76.4

$1.17 COP 3,651

-76.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 PKR 103

$1.31 COP 4,077

-71.76%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.77 PKR 489

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 PKR 326

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 PKR 746

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.78 PKR 493

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-54.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 43.23

$1.22 COP 3,792

-86.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.72 PKR 2,970

$80.5 COP 251.1K

-86.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.30 PKR 359

$1.31 COP 4,084

-0.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 PKR 205

$2.19 COP 6,825

-66.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 PKR 460

$8.71 COP 27.2K

-80.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 PKR 283

$1.37 COP 4,260

-25.55%

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

$21.4K PKR 5.9M

$27.8K COP 86.9M

-22.95%

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

$24.0K PKR 6.7M

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-32.88%

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

$104 PKR 28.9K

$177 COP 553.2K

-41.25%

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

$5.69 PKR 1,575

$13.88 COP 43.3K

-59.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.72 PKR 4,353

$29.72 COP 92.8K

-47.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.73 PKR 4,079

$44.88 COP 140.1K

-67.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$4.34 PKR 1,203

$6.65 COP 20.7K

-34.74%

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

$75.2 PKR 20.8K

$813 COP 2.5M

-90.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,028 PKR 284.9K

$9,187 COP 28.7M

-88.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.74 PKR 6,852

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-72.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.30 PKR 9,501

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-41.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.1 PKR 27.2K

$138 COP 431.2K

-29.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.71 PKR 11.3K

$102 COP 318.7K

-60.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$128 PKR 35.4K

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-87.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$78.1 PKR 21.6K

$663 COP 2.1M

-88.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$250 PKR 69.4K

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-86.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 PKR 41.7K

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-85.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$994 PKR 275.4K

$4,183 COP 13.1M

-76.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$591 PKR 163.8K

$1,675 COP 5.2M

-64.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

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 Mardan: September 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $128 in Mardan and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23.00 in Mardan vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $85.0 vs $305 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 Clothing & Footwear, Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 236% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $750 in Mardan and $2,521 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $128 in Mardan versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $75.2 in Mardan versus $813 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 258% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $500 in Mardan versus $1,681 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 236% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.