Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mardan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mardan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $433 in Mardan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $639 in Mardan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $844 in Mardan.

Living in Medellin is roughly 135% more expensive than Mardan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Mardan 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$2.13 PKR 593

179.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$14.42 PKR 4,010

131.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$5.18 PKR 1,441

39.58%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 PKR 497

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 PKR 1,074

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.00 PKR 556

-18.50%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.31 PKR 86.2

251.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.22 PKR 60.9

231.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.81 PKR 224

29.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.66 PKR 185

95.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.85 PKR 235

55.29%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.15 PKR 320

97.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$6.23 PKR 1,733

-30.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$2.38 PKR 661

147.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$3.26 PKR 907

164.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$0.69 PKR 192

226.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$0.55 PKR 154

94.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$0.94 PKR 263

61.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.33 PKR 92.2

330.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.24 PKR 66.1

387.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.33 PKR 92.9

254.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.33 PKR 91.8

169.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.12 PKR 34.05

650.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.46 PKR 405

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 PKR 255

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 PKR 544

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$1.38 PKR 384

63.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.16 PKR 45.73

425.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$7.25 PKR 2,016

478.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.37 PKR 102

281.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.37 PKR 103

413.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$1.75 PKR 487

342.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.95 PKR 265

6.32%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$21.0K PKR 5.8M

-16.22%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$26.1K PKR 7.3M

1.46%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$112 PKR 31.2K

-25.33%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$5.62 PKR 1,562

68.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$18.99 PKR 5,280

26.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$12.30 PKR 3,420

105.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$5.78 PKR 1,607

231.14%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$4.13 PKR 1,147

-0.73%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$17.76 PKR 4,937

1656.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$1,095 PKR 304.3K

447.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$21.73 PKR 6,043

167.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$28.38 PKR 7,891

14.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$87.3 PKR 24.3K

14.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$17.89 PKR 4,973

506.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$73.9 PKR 20.5K

553.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$52.5 PKR 14.6K

622.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$164 PKR 45.5K

411.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$108 PKR 29.9K

572.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$774 PKR 215.2K

266.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$424 PKR 118.0K

188.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$268 PKR 74.4K

102.16%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Mardan: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $73.9 in Mardan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 102% 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $14.00 in Mardan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $79.0 per month, with Mardan 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 Mardan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mardan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 135% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 102% more on average, 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: $482 in Medellin versus $73.9 in Mardan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $312 in Medellin versus $17.76 in Mardan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 139% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $433 in Mardan versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mardan but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Mardan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mardan 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.

Expats usually find Mardan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 135% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.