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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $433 in Mardan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $641 in Mardan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $848 in Mardan.

Living in Medellin is roughly 139% more expensive than Mardan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Mardan 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$2.18 PKR 607

171.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$14.39 PKR 4,012

127.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$5.35 PKR 1,491

34.58%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 PKR 488

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 PKR 1,097

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.06 PKR 574

-17.48%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.29 PKR 79.8

279.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.22 PKR 61.0

227.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$0.78 PKR 216

35.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.65 PKR 182

92.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.84 PKR 233

65.48%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.16 PKR 322

94.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$6.03 PKR 1,680

-28.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$2.39 PKR 666

144.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$3.10 PKR 866

184.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$0.74 PKR 205

202.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$0.55 PKR 152

96.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$0.95 PKR 266

61.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.30 PKR 84.8

356.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.24 PKR 66.8

370.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.37 PKR 102

202.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.31 PKR 86.1

174.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.15 PKR 41.17

506.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.98 PKR 552

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 PKR 243

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 PKR 554

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$1.37 PKR 383

70.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.18 PKR 49.01

338.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$7.04 PKR 1,964

484.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.36 PKR 102

300.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.34 PKR 96.0

461.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$1.81 PKR 506

343.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.97 PKR 271

-3.09%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$20.8K PKR 5.8M

-13.94%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$26.2K PKR 7.3M

2.12%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$114 PKR 31.8K

-26.45%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$5.37 PKR 1,497

78.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$18.43 PKR 5,137

31.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$12.43 PKR 3,464

108.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$5.91 PKR 1,647

222.17%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$4.18 PKR 1,165

-6.22%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$17.36 PKR 4,839

1664.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$1,128 PKR 314.4K

424.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$21.42 PKR 5,970

170.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$27.91 PKR 7,781

14.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$89.5 PKR 25.0K

11.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$17.55 PKR 4,893

510.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$75.8 PKR 21.1K

542.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$51.6 PKR 14.4K

613.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$164 PKR 45.8K

402.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$108 PKR 30.1K

562.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$270 PKR 75.2K

102.30%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mardan: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $75.8 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 $78.0 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 139% 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: $487 in Medellin versus $75.8 in Mardan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $306 in Medellin versus $17.36 in Mardan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 142% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $433 in Mardan versus $1,034 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 139% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.