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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $388 in Gilgit, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $582 in Gilgit, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $776 in Gilgit, rent included.

Medellin costs about 165% more than Gilgit, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Gilgit are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Gilgit 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$1.75 PKR 486

242.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$10.40 PKR 2,892

215.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$4.05 PKR 1,125

83.21%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 PKR 488

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 PKR 962

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$1.49 PKR 414

10.74%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$0.32 PKR 87.9

234.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$0.21 PKR 58.4

261.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$0.73 PKR 202

43.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$0.60 PKR 167

118.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$1.19 PKR 331

12.61%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$1.28 PKR 356

71.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$3.79 PKR 1,054

16.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$3.00 PKR 834

89.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$3.58 PKR 995

137.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$0.51 PKR 142

358.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$0.52 PKR 143

113.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$0.61 PKR 170

149.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$0.56 PKR 154

144.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$0.35 PKR 96.0

228.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$0.60 PKR 165

96.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$0.31 PKR 85.1

170.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.48 PKR 134

79.17%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.59 PKR 441

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 PKR 240

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 PKR 565

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$1.93 PKR 536

17.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$0.17 PKR 47.02

364.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$6.88 PKR 1,912

493.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$0.85 PKR 237

72.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$0.40 PKR 113

380.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$1.81 PKR 504

329.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$0.96 PKR 268

5.21%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$21.3K PKR 5.9M

-17.15%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$23.1K PKR 6.4M

14.73%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$100.0 PKR 27.8K

-18.86%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$1.92 PKR 533

391.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$13.97 PKR 3,883

70.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$12.25 PKR 3,406

112.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$5.98 PKR 1,664

212.88%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$3.47 PKR 964

17.87%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$14.30 PKR 3,976

2099.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$1,101 PKR 306.1K

446.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$15.22 PKR 4,232

292.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$22.52 PKR 6,260

41.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$68.6 PKR 19.1K

47.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$29.00 PKR 8,062

262.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$76.4 PKR 21.2K

535.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$51.6 PKR 14.3K

608.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$167 PKR 46.5K

393.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$104 PKR 29.0K

599.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$859 PKR 238.8K

248.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$480 PKR 133.4K

173.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$183 PKR 50.9K

200.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-29.32%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Gilgit: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $76.4 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 201% 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 $10.00 in Gilgit. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $80.0 – 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 165% 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 $1,542 per month in Medellin and $582 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 136% 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 $10.00 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 $388, than in Medellin at $1,028. 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 $388 versus $1,028 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.