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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $311 in Abbottabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $482 in Abbottabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $653 in Abbottabad, rent included.

Medellin costs about 223% more than Abbottabad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Abbottabad are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Abbottabad 77% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$1.74 PKR 483

239.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$12.20 PKR 3,386

170.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$5.24 PKR 1,456

41.79%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 PKR 497

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 PKR 499

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.37 PKR 380

20.44%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.31 PKR 84.9

254.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.23 PKR 64.0

239.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$0.79 PKR 219

39.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.63 PKR 174

100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.16 PKR 323

18.97%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.20 PKR 333

81.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$3.59 PKR 995

25.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$2.34 PKR 649

147.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$4.47 PKR 1,241

100.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$0.91 PKR 253

154.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$0.79 PKR 219

34.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$0.82 PKR 227

85.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.53 PKR 147

156.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.30 PKR 82.9

276.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.48 PKR 133

143.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.31 PKR 84.9

190.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.18 PKR 51.1

400.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.00 PKR 555

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 PKR 241

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 PKR 566

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$1.80 PKR 499

23.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.24 PKR 66.5

254.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$6.89 PKR 1,912

504.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.92 PKR 255

54.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.41 PKR 112

375.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$2.89 PKR 803

173.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.97 PKR 270

2.06%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$21.1K PKR 5.8M

-16.43%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$25.9K PKR 7.2M

3.53%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$43.43 PKR 12.1K

91.14%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$3.00 PKR 832

223.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$18.74 PKR 5,202

25.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$17.49 PKR 4,855

44.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$3.49 PKR 967

447.28%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$4.36 PKR 1,211

-9.40%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$35.95 PKR 9,977

778.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$540 PKR 150.0K

1005.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$8.90 PKR 2,471

574.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$7.26 PKR 2,015

338.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$87.7 PKR 24.3K

15.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$12.53 PKR 3,477

757.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$35.68 PKR 9,901

1231.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$20.88 PKR 5,795

1691.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$166 PKR 46.0K

412.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$41.81 PKR 11.6K

1620.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$236 PKR 65.4K

165.01%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Abbottabad: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $35.68 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 165% 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: $193 vs $80.0 – 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 223% 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $466 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 504% less in Abbottabad. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $316 per month in Medellin and $35.95 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 $311, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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 $311 versus $1,003 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.