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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $385 in Gilgit, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $583 in Gilgit, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $780 in Gilgit, rent included.

Medellin costs about 168% 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

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$1.81 PKR 505

227.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$10.79 PKR 3,008

203.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$4.14 PKR 1,155

73.91%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 PKR 503

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 PKR 1,008

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.43 PKR 400

18.88%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.32 PKR 88.8

243.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.23 PKR 64.4

213.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$0.72 PKR 200

47.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.59 PKR 165

111.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.15 PKR 321

20.87%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.24 PKR 346

82.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$3.95 PKR 1,100

9.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$3.00 PKR 837

94.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$3.61 PKR 1,006

144.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$0.51 PKR 143

339.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$0.51 PKR 142

111.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$0.65 PKR 181

135.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.52 PKR 144

163.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.35 PKR 97.2

222.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.60 PKR 169

86.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.33 PKR 92.3

157.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.47 PKR 132

93.62%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.23 PKR 344

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 PKR 257

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 PKR 553

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$1.91 PKR 532

21.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.20 PKR 57.0

295.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$6.89 PKR 1,920

496.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.86 PKR 240

67.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.44 PKR 122

334.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$1.74 PKR 484

360.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.97 PKR 270

-3.09%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$21.4K PKR 6.0M

-16.34%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$23.1K PKR 6.4M

15.93%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$103 PKR 28.7K

-18.48%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$1.93 PKR 538

397.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$13.63 PKR 3,799

77.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$12.33 PKR 3,438

109.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$5.97 PKR 1,663

218.93%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$3.62 PKR 1,009

8.29%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$14.35 PKR 4,001

2034.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$1,116 PKR 311.2K

430.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$14.95 PKR 4,168

287.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$22.52 PKR 6,277

41.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$68.8 PKR 19.2K

45.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$29.02 PKR 8,091

269.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$75.9 PKR 21.1K

541.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$52.3 PKR 14.6K

603.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$169 PKR 47.2K

387.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$104 PKR 29.0K

588.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$813 PKR 226.7K

259.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$584 PKR 162.8K

140.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$179 PKR 50.0K

203.92%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Gilgit: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $75.9 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 204% 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 $11.00 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 168% 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $578 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 $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 $385, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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 $385 versus $1,034 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.