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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $514 in Daska, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $794 in Daska, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,073 in Daska, rent included.

Medellin costs about 227% more than Daska, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Daska is 62% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$3.63 PKR 1,006

120.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$23.04 PKR 6,380

107.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$5.46 PKR 1,512

81.14%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 PKR 1,011

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.69 PKR 1,853

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$2.63 PKR 730

19.01%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$0.33 PKR 90.8

478.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.23 PKR 63.7

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

$0.92 PKR 254

56.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$0.79 PKR 218

215.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$1.29 PKR 357

37.21%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$1.27 PKR 352

133.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$6.02 PKR 1,667

67.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$3.17 PKR 877

219.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$5.37 PKR 1,488

166.29%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$1.25 PKR 347

231.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$0.84 PKR 233

91.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$1.02 PKR 283

120.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$0.52 PKR 145

332.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$0.26 PKR 71.6

684.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$0.33 PKR 90.5

366.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$0.28 PKR 76.9

317.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.39 PKR 109

235.90%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.75 PKR 485

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 PKR 338

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 PKR 746

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$2.39 PKR 661

63.18%

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

$0.20 PKR 55.0

510.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

$10.09 PKR 2,794

697.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$1.28 PKR 356

2.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$0.74 PKR 206

195.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$1.59 PKR 441

447.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.31 PKR 362

4.58%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$21.4K PKR 5.9M

30.21%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$24.5K PKR 6.8M

45.74%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$101 PKR 28.0K

75.68%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$5.81 PKR 1,608

138.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$15.81 PKR 4,380

87.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$15.10 PKR 4,184

197.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$4.29 PKR 1,189

55.01%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$75.6 PKR 20.9K

975.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$995 PKR 275.5K

823.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$24.93 PKR 6,905

258.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$35.00 PKR 9,693

68.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$96.5 PKR 26.7K

43.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$41.10 PKR 11.4K

148.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$127 PKR 35.1K

738.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$76.5 PKR 21.2K

766.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$255 PKR 70.5K

641.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$150 PKR 41.4K

586.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$907 PKR 251.3K

361.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$514 PKR 142.5K

225.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

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 Daska: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $127 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $23.00 in Daska. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $103 – 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 227% 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $772 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 197% 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $23.00 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 $514, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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 $514 versus $1,681 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.