Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Islamabad Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Islamabad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $589 in Islamabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $918 in Islamabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $1,246 in Islamabad, rent included.

Medellin costs about 191% more than Islamabad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Islamabad is 57% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.2K

$3.57 PKR 990

124.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 151.7K

$22.74 PKR 6,309

112.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.7K

$5.47 PKR 1,517

78.61%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 PKR 986

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 PKR 1,862

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,149

$2.39 PKR 663

21.76%

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

$1.94 COP 6,110

$0.32 PKR 90.0

506.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,783

$0.22 PKR 60.8

590.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,721

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,287

$0.99 PKR 275

37.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,505

$0.79 PKR 220

202.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,346

$1.28 PKR 354

32.81%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,021

$1.28 PKR 356

124.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.2K

$6.11 PKR 1,695

62.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.9K

$3.06 PKR 849

252.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.3K

$5.12 PKR 1,421

187.70%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$1.34 PKR 371

205.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,940

$0.84 PKR 232

86.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,682

$1.02 PKR 282

108.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,959

$0.49 PKR 135

351.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,435

$0.29 PKR 81.2

606.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,728

$0.33 PKR 90.4

354.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,740

$0.29 PKR 80.8

310.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,640

$0.38 PKR 106

205.26%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.90 PKR 528

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 PKR 383

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 PKR 652

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.28 PKR 632

71.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.4K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,978

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,889

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,672

$0.16 PKR 44.31

631.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

$21.23 PKR 5,889

266.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,038

$1.27 PKR 353

0.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

$0.69 PKR 191

202.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

$1.65 PKR 459

422.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,080

$1.32 PKR 365

-1.52%

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

$27.7K COP 86.9M

$53.9K PKR 15.0M

-48.73%

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

$35.5K COP 111.6M

$25.1K PKR 7.0M

41.45%

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

$176 COP 553.4K

$102 PKR 28.3K

72.45%

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

$13.37 COP 42.0K

$5.83 PKR 1,618

129.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.0K

$16.34 PKR 4,534

82.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.7K

$29.09 PKR 8,071

53.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

$8.93 PKR 2,478

91.04%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

$5.01 PKR 1,390

23.75%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$75.0 PKR 20.8K

957.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

$5,084 PKR 1.4M

77.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.1K

$23.55 PKR 6,532

263.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 183.8K

$32.68 PKR 9,066

78.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 428.4K

$83.6 PKR 23.2K

63.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.1K

$39.29 PKR 10.9K

162.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$277 PKR 76.8K

282.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$144 PKR 40.0K

371.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$577 PKR 160.1K

248.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$266 PKR 73.9K

338.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

$1,635 PKR 453.5K

151.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$829 PKR 230.1K

105.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$381 PKR 105.8K

74.39%

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: August 30, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $277 in Islamabad. 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 74% 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 $23.00 in Islamabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $103 – making Islamabad 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 Islamabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 191%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $884 in Islamabad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 196% 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 Islamabad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Islamabad, where all-in costs run around $589, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Islamabad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Islamabad – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Islamabad. 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.