Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Karachi Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Karachi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,641 in Medellin versus $475 in Karachi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,447 in Medellin versus $735 in Karachi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,253 in Medellin versus $995 in Karachi.

Living in Medellin is roughly 245% more expensive than in Karachi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 19% above, Karachi is 66% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$2.11 PKR 584

281.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$14.17 PKR 3,924

240.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$5.56 PKR 1,540

69.42%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 PKR 591

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 PKR 1,988

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$2.29 PKR 633

28.38%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$0.38 PKR 106

389.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.24 PKR 66.0

508.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$0.85 PKR 237

69.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$0.57 PKR 157

321.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.22 PKR 337

39.34%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$1.22 PKR 339

136.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$6.08 PKR 1,684

65.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$3.14 PKR 870

217.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$6.25 PKR 1,732

127.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$1.22 PKR 339

226.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$0.59 PKR 163

167.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$0.99 PKR 274

117.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$0.56 PKR 154

310.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$0.35 PKR 95.7

471.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$0.33 PKR 91.5

357.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$0.36 PKR 101

233.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.40 PKR 111

220.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.29 PKR 357

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 PKR 367

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 PKR 692

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$1.79 PKR 496

114.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$0.30 PKR 83.7

316.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$7.95 PKR 2,201

879.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$0.70 PKR 195

87.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$0.73 PKR 203

197.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$2.12 PKR 587

291.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.34 PKR 371

1.49%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$18.0K PKR 5.0M

52.55%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$27.2K PKR 7.5M

34.27%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$110 PKR 30.5K

53.37%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$5.71 PKR 1,582

137.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$13.12 PKR 3,634

115.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$21.28 PKR 5,896

114.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$18.76 PKR 5,198

-8.21%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$4.20 PKR 1,164

58.33%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$50.3 PKR 13.9K

1496.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$1,589 PKR 440.2K

478.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$15.49 PKR 4,290

463.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$22.03 PKR 6,104

169.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$67.7 PKR 18.7K

105.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$38.00 PKR 10.5K

168.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$108 PKR 29.8K

895.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$71.6 PKR 19.8K

811.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$323 PKR 89.4K

496.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$184 PKR 51.0K

469.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$1,036 PKR 287.0K

297.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$470 PKR 130.2K

261.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$182 PKR 50.4K

260.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

12.88

-15.06%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Karachi: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,071 in Medellin and $108 in Karachi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 260% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $14.00 in Karachi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $101 per month, with Karachi 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 Karachi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Karachi differ by about 245% in total monthly costs ($1,641 vs $475 including rent). Karachi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 260% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,071 in Medellin versus $108 in Karachi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,641 per month in Medellin versus $475 in Karachi – a 245% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Karachi runs roughly 880% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $475 in Karachi versus $1,641 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Karachi but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Karachi 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 Karachi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 245% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.