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 $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $639 in Mardan versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $844 in Mardan versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Mardan costs roughly 57% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mardan 68% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 PKR 593

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-64.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.42 PKR 4,010

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-56.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.18 PKR 1,441

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-28.35%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 PKR 497

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 PKR 1,074

Cappuccino

$2.00 PKR 556

$1.63 COP 5,687

22.70%

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

$0.31 PKR 86.2

$1.09 COP 3,821

-71.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 60.9

$0.73 COP 2,548

-69.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 PKR 224

$1.05 COP 3,662

-22.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 PKR 185

$1.29 COP 4,515

-48.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 PKR 235

$1.32 COP 4,617

-35.61%

Eggs

$1.15 PKR 320

$2.27 COP 7,927

-49.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.23 PKR 1,733

$4.35 COP 15.2K

43.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.38 PKR 661

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-59.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.26 PKR 907

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-62.14%

Apples (1kg)

$0.69 PKR 192

$2.25 COP 7,844

-69.33%

Banana (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 154

$1.07 COP 3,733

-48.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.94 PKR 263

$1.52 COP 5,322

-38.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 92.2

$1.42 COP 4,964

-76.76%

Potato (1kg)

$0.24 PKR 66.1

$1.17 COP 4,084

-79.49%

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 92.9

$1.17 COP 4,077

-71.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 PKR 91.8

$0.89 COP 3,096

-62.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.12 PKR 34.05

$0.90 COP 3,146

-86.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.46 PKR 405

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 PKR 255

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 PKR 544

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.38 PKR 384

$2.25 COP 7,837

-38.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 45.73

$0.84 COP 2,916

-80.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.25 PKR 2,016

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-82.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 PKR 102

$1.41 COP 4,912

-73.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 PKR 103

$1.90 COP 6,634

-80.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.75 PKR 487

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-77.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 PKR 265

$1.01 COP 3,509

-5.94%

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

$21.0K PKR 5.8M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

19.36%

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

$26.1K PKR 7.3M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-1.44%

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

$112 PKR 31.2K

$83.7 COP 292.1K

33.93%

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

$5.62 PKR 1,562

$9.45 COP 33.0K

-40.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 PKR 5,280

$24.11 COP 84.1K

-21.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.30 PKR 3,420

$25.31 COP 88.3K

-51.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.78 PKR 1,607

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-69.80%

Cinema Ticket

$4.13 PKR 1,147

$4.10 COP 14.3K

0.73%

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

$17.76 PKR 4,937

$312 COP 1.1M

-94.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,095 PKR 304.3K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-81.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.73 PKR 6,043

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-62.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.38 PKR 7,891

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-12.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.3 PKR 24.3K

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-12.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.89 PKR 4,973

$109 COP 378.8K

-83.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$73.9 PKR 20.5K

$482 COP 1.7M

-84.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$52.5 PKR 14.6K

$379 COP 1.3M

-86.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$164 PKR 45.5K

$837 COP 2.9M

-80.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 PKR 29.9K

$723 COP 2.5M

-85.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$774 PKR 215.2K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-72.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$424 PKR 118.0K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-65.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$268 PKR 74.4K

$541 COP 1.9M

-50.53%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $73.9 in Mardan and $482 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 $79.0 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 135% 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: $73.9 in Mardan versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $17.76 in Mardan versus $312 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 139% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $433 in Mardan versus $1,017 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 135% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.