Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jhelum

For one person, living is cheaper in Jhelum: $397 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $14,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index
19

Cost of Living Index in Jhelum
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Jhelum Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,639

/mo nomad

Jhelum

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$397

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Jhelum

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Jhelum actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,639 in Medellin versus $397 in Jhelum.

Medellin $1,639
Jhelum $397

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,413 in Medellin versus $606 in Jhelum.

Medellin $2,413
Jhelum $606

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,186 in Medellin versus $815 in Jhelum.

Medellin $3,186
Jhelum $815

Living in Medellin is roughly 313% more expensive than in Jhelum, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 20% above, Jhelum is 71% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 COP 26.1K

$1.84 PKR 508

339.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.05 COP 151.7K

$10.86 PKR 3,004

333.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 30.6K

$5.52 PKR 1,527

72.10%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 PKR 688

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 PKR 613

Cappuccino

$3.01 COP 9,722

$1.52 PKR 419

98.03%

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

$1.80 COP 5,801

$0.48 PKR 134

275.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 COP 4,554

$0.32 PKR 89.0

340.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 COP 10.2K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.5K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 COP 4,869

$0.64 PKR 176

135.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 COP 7,667

$0.60 PKR 167

296.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,712

$1.27 PKR 350

39.37%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 9,320

$1.19 PKR 329

142.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 COP 32.9K

$2.66 PKR 736

283.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.87 COP 31.8K

$2.36 PKR 654

318.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 COP 45.1K

$2.70 PKR 746

418.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.8K

$1.10 PKR 304

260.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 COP 5,005

$0.34 PKR 95.4

355.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 COP 7,039

$0.56 PKR 156

289.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 COP 7,041

$0.63 PKR 175

246.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 COP 6,328

$0.30 PKR 83.5

553.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 COP 5,125

$0.38 PKR 104

318.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,694

$0.41 PKR 114

180.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 COP 4,009

$0.41 PKR 112

202.44%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.86 PKR 516

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 PKR 154

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 PKR 648

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 COP 12.8K

$1.42 PKR 392

178.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.68 COP 44.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 COP 5,352

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,281

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,766

$0.17 PKR 46.63

588.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.4 COP 249.5K

$11.33 PKR 3,136

582.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,089

$1.07 PKR 295

18.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,603

$1.10 PKR 304

86.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.55 COP 27.6K

$2.87 PKR 793

197.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,343

$1.18 PKR 326

14.41%

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

$34.1K COP 109.8M

$23.6K PKR 6.5M

44.44%

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

$34.7K COP 111.8M

$23.1K PKR 6.4M

50.02%

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

$170 COP 547.0K

$66.2 PKR 18.3K

156.46%

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

$13.55 COP 43.7K

$5.67 PKR 1,570

138.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.07 COP 90.5K

$14.72 PKR 4,073

90.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.70 COP 140.9K

$15.48 PKR 4,282

182.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.19 COP 55.4K

$8.65 PKR 2,394

98.73%

Cinema Ticket

$6.91 COP 22.3K

$7.32 PKR 2,026

-5.60%

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

$797 COP 2.6M

$26.16 PKR 7,238

2945.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,112 COP 29.4M

$2,005 PKR 554.8K

354.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.7 COP 273.2K

$18.73 PKR 5,183

352.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.0 COP 186.9K

$26.05 PKR 7,207

122.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 COP 435.2K

$54.9 PKR 15.2K

146.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 COP 315.6K

$30.06 PKR 8,318

225.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,208 COP 3.9M

$144 PKR 39.8K

739.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$642 COP 2.1M

$79.7 PKR 22.0K

705.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 COP 6.5M

$259 PKR 71.6K

683.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 COP 3.3M

$160 PKR 44.2K

533.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,170 COP 13.4M

$730 PKR 201.8K

471.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,910 COP 6.2M

$474 PKR 131.2K

302.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$657 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

11.83

-7.52%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Jhelum: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$642 39.1%

Jhelum

$80 20.1% 87.6% $562

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$297 18.1%

Jhelum

$71 17.9% 76% $226

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$211 12.9%

Jhelum

$87 21.8% 59% $125

Eating Out

Medellin

$170 10.4%

Jhelum

$53 13.3% 69% $117

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$169 10.3%

Jhelum

$58 14.7% 65.5% $111

Getting Around

Medellin

$94 5.7%

Jhelum

$19 4.7% 80.1% $75

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$58 3.5%

Jhelum

$30 7.6% 47.6% $27

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,208 in Medellin and $144 in Jhelum. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47 in Medellin vs $11 in Jhelum for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $71 per month, with Jhelum cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇵🇰 Jhelum

🕒 Local time

19:03 7:03 PM

05:03 5:03 AM

10 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

190,425

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.24 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PKR, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3,224 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,600 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD). 1 EUR = 309 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.24 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

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Medellin Jhelum 14,580 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Jhelum

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Jhelum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jhelum is about 76% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $2,459 in Medellin and $596 in Jhelum to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,208 in Medellin versus $144 in Jhelum. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 317% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Jhelum – a meal for two runs $11 versus $47 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $397 in Jhelum versus $1,639 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Jhelum but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Jhelum the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Jhelum gentler on the wallet – expenses run 76% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.