Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Gilgit Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Gilgit

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $432 in Gilgit, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $644 in Gilgit, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $855 in Gilgit, rent included.

Medellin costs about 289% more than Gilgit, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Gilgit is 68% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$1.56 PKR 432

414.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$10.99 PKR 3,043

335.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$5.41 PKR 1,500

82.81%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 PKR 695

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.92 PKR 1,362

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$1.40 PKR 389

123.57%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.36 PKR 98.7

430.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.19 PKR 53.8

694.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$0.83 PKR 230

73.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.64 PKR 177

289.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.22 PKR 339

45.08%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.18 PKR 326

150.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$5.97 PKR 1,655

68.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$2.56 PKR 709

295.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$5.01 PKR 1,387

185.43%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.09 PKR 302

279.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$0.60 PKR 165

168.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$0.73 PKR 201

208.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$0.50 PKR 138

350.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.29 PKR 81.3

603.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.33 PKR 92.0

366.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.35 PKR 95.9

234.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.34 PKR 95.4

285.29%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.57 PKR 434

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 PKR 306

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 PKR 695

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.28 PKR 631

71.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.17 PKR 46.51

617.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$10.15 PKR 2,812

692.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$1.09 PKR 302

20.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.70 PKR 195

212.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$1.60 PKR 442

444.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.17 PKR 324

17.09%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

29.41%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$23.1K PKR 6.4M

55.01%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$101 PKR 27.9K

75.81%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$2.14 PKR 593

548.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$14.62 PKR 4,051

103.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$14.92 PKR 4,134

200.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$4.82 PKR 1,336

37.97%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$14.24 PKR 3,946

5608.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$923 PKR 255.6K

895.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$15.33 PKR 4,247

483.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$22.50 PKR 6,233

162.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$67.5 PKR 18.7K

104.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$29.02 PKR 8,040

251.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$128 PKR 35.5K

728.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$77.9 PKR 21.6K

751.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$255 PKR 70.6K

640.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$151 PKR 41.9K

578.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$896 PKR 248.3K

366.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$519 PKR 143.7K

222.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$179 PKR 49.6K

278.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

12.88

-15.06%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Gilgit: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $128 in Gilgit. 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 278% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $11.00 in Gilgit. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $91.0 – making Gilgit 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 Gilgit: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 289% more than Gilgit, 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 $647 in Gilgit. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 233% 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 $11.00 in Gilgit. 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 Gilgit, where all-in costs run around $432, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Gilgit it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Gilgit costs $432 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 Gilgit. 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.