Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Daska Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Daska

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $460 in Daska, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $707 in Daska, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $955 in Daska, rent included.

Medellin costs about 121% more than Daska, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Daska are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Daska 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$2.87 PKR 797

107.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$13.96 PKR 3,880

138.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$5.23 PKR 1,454

38.24%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 PKR 480

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 PKR 1,056

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.00 PKR 557

-18.50%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.43 PKR 119

153.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.24 PKR 67.1

204.17%

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)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.96 PKR 266

9.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.66 PKR 183

95.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.28 PKR 355

3.13%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.25 PKR 348

81.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$6.13 PKR 1,703

-29.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$3.49 PKR 972

68.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$4.46 PKR 1,239

93.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$0.99 PKR 275

127.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$0.79 PKR 219

35.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$0.89 PKR 247

70.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.60 PKR 166

136.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.42 PKR 116

178.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.57 PKR 159

105.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.30 PKR 84.6

196.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.41 PKR 113

119.51%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.47 PKR 408

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 PKR 236

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 PKR 566

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.08 PKR 579

8.17%

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)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.16 PKR 45.55

425.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$7.22 PKR 2,006

481.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.86 PKR 239

63.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.41 PKR 113

363.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$2.82 PKR 783

174.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.92 PKR 257

9.78%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$20.8K PKR 5.8M

-15.49%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$26.4K PKR 7.3M

0.28%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$112 PKR 31.1K

-25.08%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$5.36 PKR 1,491

76.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$18.98 PKR 5,277

27.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$12.61 PKR 3,505

100.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$6.07 PKR 1,687

215.32%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$4.21 PKR 1,172

-2.61%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$60.0 PKR 16.7K

419.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$1,095 PKR 304.5K

447.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$21.86 PKR 6,078

165.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$28.43 PKR 7,904

14.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$90.0 PKR 25.0K

10.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$39.43 PKR 11.0K

175.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$73.8 PKR 20.5K

553.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$52.4 PKR 14.6K

624.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$170 PKR 47.2K

393.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$108 PKR 30.0K

569.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$868 PKR 241.3K

227.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$451 PKR 125.5K

170.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Daska: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $73.8 in Daska. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $14.00 in Daska. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $100 – making Daska 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 Daska: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 121% more than Daska, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $689 in Daska. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 89% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $14.00 in Daska. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Daska, where all-in costs run around $460, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Daska it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Daska costs $460 versus $1,017 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Daska. 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.