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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $460 in Daska, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $697 in Daska, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $934 in Daska, rent included.

Medellin costs about 118% more than Daska, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Daska are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Daska 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$2.91 PKR 808

103.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$14.00 PKR 3,885

135.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$5.40 PKR 1,500

37.59%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 PKR 496

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 PKR 1,059

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.09 PKR 579

-21.05%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.39 PKR 109

182.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.22 PKR 60.8

254.55%

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

$1.00 PKR 277

10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.62 PKR 173

103.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.23 PKR 340

12.20%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.25 PKR 348

74.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$6.31 PKR 1,752

-28.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$3.43 PKR 951

68.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$4.49 PKR 1,245

99.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.00 PKR 276

132.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$0.78 PKR 215

35.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$0.93 PKR 259

63.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.56 PKR 155

142.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.41 PKR 115

175.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.54 PKR 149

116.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.33 PKR 92.3

172.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.40 PKR 112

125.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.41 PKR 391

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PKR 257

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 PKR 567

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.08 PKR 578

7.21%

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

$0.16 PKR 43.95

431.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$7.24 PKR 2,011

474.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.92 PKR 254

54.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.44 PKR 121

343.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$2.76 PKR 767

185.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.93 PKR 258

6.45%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$21.1K PKR 5.8M

-16.48%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$26.7K PKR 7.4M

0.55%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$111 PKR 30.9K

-25.40%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$5.60 PKR 1,555

73.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$18.65 PKR 5,175

26.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$12.16 PKR 3,374

107.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$6.07 PKR 1,683

214.66%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$4.23 PKR 1,173

-6.62%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$61.1 PKR 17.0K

416.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$1,102 PKR 305.9K

442.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$21.88 PKR 6,072

174.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$27.56 PKR 7,648

15.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$87.0 PKR 24.1K

16.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$40.47 PKR 11.2K

165.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$75.8 PKR 21.0K

526.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$51.5 PKR 14.3K

625.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$170 PKR 47.2K

399.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$108 PKR 29.9K

568.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$817 PKR 226.6K

299.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$514 PKR 142.7K

180.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

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 Daska: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $75.8 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: $193 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 118% 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $691 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 93% 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 $1,003. 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 $1,003 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.