Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jhelum Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jhelum

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $325 in Jhelum.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $512 in Jhelum.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $700 in Jhelum.

Living in Medellin is roughly 212% more expensive than Jhelum, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Jhelum 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$1.78 PKR 496

236.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$10.47 PKR 2,911

213.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$3.58 PKR 996

98.04%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.90 PKR 806

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 PKR 1,363

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$1.51 PKR 419

13.25%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.33 PKR 91.9

233.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.24 PKR 67.0

225.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$0.56 PKR 156

94.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.59 PKR 165

113.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.26 PKR 351

9.52%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.15 PKR 320

90.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$5.06 PKR 1,408

-13.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$2.38 PKR 662

136.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$3.07 PKR 854

189.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$1.03 PKR 287

127.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$0.54 PKR 151

96.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$0.63 PKR 175

138.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$0.51 PKR 142

170.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.35 PKR 96.9

228.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.55 PKR 154

110.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.19 PKR 51.5

368.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.22 PKR 61.2

281.82%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.01 PKR 282

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 PKR 204

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 PKR 550

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$0.84 PKR 235

171.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.18 PKR 51.0

377.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$6.92 PKR 1,924

498.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$1.07 PKR 299

37.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.53 PKR 148

269.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$1.79 PKR 497

332.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$0.97 PKR 269

-2.06%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$22.2K PKR 6.2M

-18.41%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$20.8K PKR 5.8M

27.16%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$52.9 PKR 14.7K

55.42%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$2.87 PKR 799

231.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$13.02 PKR 3,623

86.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$12.58 PKR 3,500

105.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$5.85 PKR 1,628

224.79%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$3.44 PKR 957

14.24%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$17.79 PKR 4,950

1639.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$1,111 PKR 309.1K

436.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$16.17 PKR 4,498

262.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$22.32 PKR 6,210

44.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$59.8 PKR 16.6K

71.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$26.22 PKR 7,294

313.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$74.5 PKR 20.7K

539.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$52.4 PKR 14.6K

622.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$164 PKR 45.5K

412.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$108 PKR 29.9K

573.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$851 PKR 236.6K

228.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$454 PKR 126.3K

166.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-25.39%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Jhelum: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $74.5 in Jhelum. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $10.00 in Jhelum for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $76.0 per month, with Jhelum cheaper across the board.

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 cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 212% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,519 in Medellin and $487 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: $476 in Medellin versus $74.5 in Jhelum. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 146% 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 $10.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $325 in Jhelum versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,500 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.

For families, Jhelum is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Jhelum are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Jhelum gentler on the wallet – expenses run 212% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.