Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Abbottabad Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Abbottabad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $312 in Abbottabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $495 in Abbottabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $677 in Abbottabad, rent included.

Medellin costs about 438% more than Abbottabad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Abbottabad is 77% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$1.84 PKR 511

335.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$10.79 PKR 2,988

343.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$5.31 PKR 1,472

86.25%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 PKR 982

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 PKR 496

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$1.24 PKR 343

152.42%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$0.33 PKR 90.3

478.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.23 PKR 63.9

556.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$0.80 PKR 221

80.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$0.74 PKR 206

236.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$1.24 PKR 342

42.74%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$1.19 PKR 330

148.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$3.64 PKR 1,008

176.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$2.31 PKR 640

338.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$5.39 PKR 1,494

165.31%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$1.05 PKR 291

294.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$0.86 PKR 238

87.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$0.87 PKR 240

158.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$0.44 PKR 121

411.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$0.24 PKR 65.9

750.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$0.33 PKR 90.8

366.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$0.30 PKR 84.0

290.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.32 PKR 88.6

309.38%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.97 PKR 546

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 PKR 327

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 PKR 717

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$1.71 PKR 473

128.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$0.24 PKR 66.0

408.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$1.27 PKR 352

3.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$0.34 PKR 95.0

544.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$1.60 PKR 443

444.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.09 PKR 303

25.69%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$21.4K PKR 5.9M

30.00%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$24.6K PKR 6.8M

45.49%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$54.6 PKR 15.1K

224.73%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$3.58 PKR 992

287.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$12.54 PKR 3,473

137.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$13.36 PKR 3,701

235.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

$3.67 PKR 1,016

366.49%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$4.43 PKR 1,227

50.11%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$27.51 PKR 7,618

2855.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$522 PKR 144.6K

1660.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$9.05 PKR 2,507

888.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$7.19 PKR 1,992

720.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$96.0 PKR 26.6K

43.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$10.96 PKR 3,037

831.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$35.60 PKR 9,860

2883.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$22.01 PKR 6,097

2911.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$110 PKR 30.4K

1622.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$53.1 PKR 14.7K

1835.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

$195 PKR 54.0K

247.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

13.08

-16.36%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Abbottabad: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $35.60 in Abbottabad. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 248% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $11.00 in Abbottabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $86.0 – making Abbottabad the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Medellin vs Abbottabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 438% more than Abbottabad, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $469 in Abbottabad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Abbottabad, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $11.00 in Abbottabad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 253% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Abbottabad, where all-in costs run around $312, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Abbottabad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Abbottabad costs $312 versus $1,681 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Abbottabad. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.