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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $529 in Islamabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $835 in Islamabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,141 in Islamabad, rent included.

Medellin costs about 91% more than Islamabad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Islamabad are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Islamabad 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.3K

$2.80 PKR 779

113.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 116.9K

$14.22 PKR 3,955

131.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.2K

$5.44 PKR 1,512

30.33%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 478

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 PKR 1,112

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,093

$2.00 PKR 557

-14.50%

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

$1.10 COP 3,910

$0.43 PKR 119

155.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,771

$0.22 PKR 61.1

254.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,976

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,892

$0.94 PKR 260

15.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,492

$0.62 PKR 173

103.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,905

$1.21 PKR 338

14.05%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,799

$1.20 PKR 335

82.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$6.07 PKR 1,689

-27.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.0K

$3.39 PKR 942

66.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.6K

$4.38 PKR 1,218

102.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,319

$1.03 PKR 287

127.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,764

$0.78 PKR 216

35.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,355

$0.93 PKR 260

61.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,906

$0.60 PKR 166

130.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,097

$0.41 PKR 115

180.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,141

$0.54 PKR 149

114.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,170

$0.34 PKR 93.3

161.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,986

$0.37 PKR 103

127.03%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.93 PKR 537

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 PKR 251

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 PKR 552

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,116

$2.14 PKR 596

6.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,268

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,793

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,045

$0.19 PKR 52.2

352.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

$6.90 PKR 1,921

500.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,245

$0.86 PKR 238

70.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,984

$0.44 PKR 122

345.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.5K

$2.81 PKR 782

175.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,397

$0.91 PKR 253

4.40%

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

$18.1K COP 64.5M

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

-15.71%

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

$26.5K COP 94.2M

$26.1K PKR 7.3M

1.29%

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

$82.3 COP 292.7K

$112 PKR 31.1K

-26.39%

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

$9.50 COP 33.8K

$5.44 PKR 1,512

74.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.2K

$18.81 PKR 5,234

28.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.1K

$22.19 PKR 6,174

16.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

$6.04 PKR 1,679

214.57%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.21 PKR 1,171

-6.65%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$60.3 PKR 16.8K

413.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.2M

$2,805 PKR 780.2K

112.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 208.7K

$21.57 PKR 5,999

171.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.1K

$27.63 PKR 7,686

17.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.1K

$88.1 PKR 24.5K

16.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 385.8K

$39.91 PKR 11.1K

171.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$198 PKR 55.1K

140.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$112 PKR 31.1K

238.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$513 PKR 142.6K

63.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$296 PKR 82.3K

144.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$1,551 PKR 431.4K

79.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$657 PKR 182.9K

84.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$387 PKR 107.8K

32.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

20.2

-33.51%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $198 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 32% 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 $14.00 in Islamabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $98.0 – 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 91%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $794 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 92% 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 $14.00 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 $529, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.