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: $1,681 in Medellin versus $390 in Jhelum.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $596 in Jhelum.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $803 in Jhelum.

Living in Medellin is roughly 331% more expensive than in Jhelum, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Jhelum is 72% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$1.76 PKR 488

355.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$10.62 PKR 2,943

350.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$5.25 PKR 1,456

88.38%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 PKR 707

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 PKR 607

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$1.52 PKR 422

105.92%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.47 PKR 131

306.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.32 PKR 89.2

371.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$0.63 PKR 174

128.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.66 PKR 182

277.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.27 PKR 351

39.37%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.21 PKR 335

144.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$2.66 PKR 738

278.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$2.33 PKR 645

334.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$2.62 PKR 725

445.80%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.04 PKR 287

298.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$0.35 PKR 96.5

360.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$0.55 PKR 152

309.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$0.47 PKR 129

378.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.31 PKR 87.0

558.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.37 PKR 104

316.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.54 PKR 150

116.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.42 PKR 117

211.90%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.78 PKR 494

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 PKR 146

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 PKR 722

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.36 PKR 653

65.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.18 PKR 48.68

577.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$9.48 PKR 2,625

748.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$1.05 PKR 291

24.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$1.06 PKR 295

106.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$2.84 PKR 788

206.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.11 PKR 308

23.42%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$23.8K PKR 6.6M

16.80%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$23.4K PKR 6.5M

52.68%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$66.3 PKR 18.4K

167.58%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$5.65 PKR 1,566

145.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$14.69 PKR 4,070

102.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$15.16 PKR 4,198

196.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$7.29 PKR 2,020

-8.78%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$26.13 PKR 7,237

3011.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$2,033 PKR 563.1K

351.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$18.92 PKR 5,241

372.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$26.69 PKR 7,395

120.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$54.8 PKR 15.2K

152.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$30.28 PKR 8,389

237.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$142 PKR 39.4K

646.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$72.2 PKR 20.0K

818.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$226 PKR 62.7K

734.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$161 PKR 44.5K

538.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$992 PKR 274.8K

321.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$494 PKR 136.9K

238.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 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: September 14, 2026

Last update for Jhelum: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $142 in Jhelum. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $11.00 in Jhelum for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $71.0 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 331% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,521 in Medellin and $585 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: $1,062 in Medellin versus $142 in Jhelum. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 329% 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 $11.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $390 in Jhelum versus $1,681 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 331% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.