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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $310 in Abbottabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $480 in Abbottabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $651 in Abbottabad, rent included.

Medellin costs about 234% more than Abbottabad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Abbottabad are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Abbottabad 77% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$1.72 PKR 479

244.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$12.32 PKR 3,435

165.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$5.19 PKR 1,447

38.73%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 PKR 485

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 PKR 485

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.39 PKR 388

22.30%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.33 PKR 92.4

233.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.21 PKR 58.3

242.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$0.77 PKR 213

37.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.66 PKR 184

89.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.15 PKR 319

20.87%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.22 PKR 340

85.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$3.45 PKR 963

25.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$2.31 PKR 644

152.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$4.33 PKR 1,207

103.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$0.84 PKR 235

166.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$0.73 PKR 203

47.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$0.77 PKR 215

98.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.50 PKR 140

174.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.32 PKR 90.2

253.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.52 PKR 146

115.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.34 PKR 93.6

150.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.16 PKR 44.00

468.75%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.99 PKR 554

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 PKR 241

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 PKR 547

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$1.73 PKR 483

34.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.26 PKR 72.6

203.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$7.03 PKR 1,959

485.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.87 PKR 242

65.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.44 PKR 122

334.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$2.77 PKR 773

189.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.89 PKR 249

5.62%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$21.0K PKR 5.9M

-14.63%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$26.3K PKR 7.3M

1.73%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$43.79 PKR 12.2K

91.73%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$2.95 PKR 822

225.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$18.35 PKR 5,115

31.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$17.88 PKR 4,984

44.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$3.44 PKR 958

453.49%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$4.27 PKR 1,191

-8.20%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$34.83 PKR 9,709

779.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$524 PKR 146.1K

1029.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$8.80 PKR 2,452

558.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$7.18 PKR 2,003

343.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$90.1 PKR 25.1K

10.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$12.54 PKR 3,496

754.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$35.46 PKR 9,885

1272.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$21.61 PKR 6,023

1603.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$164 PKR 45.8K

402.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$42.10 PKR 11.7K

1600.93%

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)

$546 COP 2.0M

$230 PKR 64.0K

137.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

20.2

-33.51%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Abbottabad: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $35.46 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 138% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $12.00 in Abbottabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $78.0 – 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 234% 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $464 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.

Public transport costs about 485% less in Abbottabad. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Medellin and $34.83 in Abbottabad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Abbottabad, where all-in costs run around $310, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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 $310 versus $1,034 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.