Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mehar Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mehar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $390 in Mehar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $584 in Mehar, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $778 in Mehar, rent included.

Medellin costs about 159% more than Mehar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Mehar are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Mehar 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.5K

$1.75 PKR 488

242.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 118.1K

$10.59 PKR 2,946

210.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.5K

$3.99 PKR 1,110

77.69%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 PKR 484

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 PKR 957

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,155

$1.44 PKR 402

18.75%

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

$1.10 COP 3,950

$0.35 PKR 96.3

214.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,799

$0.23 PKR 64.1

239.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 6,037

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,931

$0.78 PKR 216

39.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,537

$0.56 PKR 156

125.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,955

$1.20 PKR 334

15.00%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,878

$1.17 PKR 326

87.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.8K

$6.12 PKR 1,703

-28.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.2K

$2.68 PKR 747

110.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 32.0K

$3.77 PKR 1,050

135.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,403

$1.04 PKR 289

125.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,802

$0.65 PKR 180

63.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,409

$0.61 PKR 170

145.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,956

$0.48 PKR 133

187.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,138

$0.38 PKR 105

202.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,183

$0.51 PKR 141

127.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,203

$0.33 PKR 93.1

169.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 3,016

$0.34 PKR 93.7

147.06%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.49 PKR 416

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PKR 259

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 PKR 565

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,198

$1.92 PKR 535

18.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,312

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,882

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,076

$0.20 PKR 55.2

330.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 148.8K

$7.24 PKR 2,013

471.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,298

$0.91 PKR 255

61.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,055

$0.44 PKR 122

345.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.8K

$1.82 PKR 507

325.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,431

$0.91 PKR 253

4.40%

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

$18.1K COP 65.2M

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

-15.74%

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

$26.5K COP 95.2M

$23.2K PKR 6.5M

14.03%

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

$82.3 COP 295.7K

$103 PKR 28.6K

-20.10%

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

$9.50 COP 34.2K

$4.08 PKR 1,136

132.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 87.1K

$13.55 PKR 3,770

78.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 93.0K

$12.53 PKR 3,487

106.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 68.3K

$5.98 PKR 1,665

217.73%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.1K

$3.52 PKR 980

11.65%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$30.10 PKR 8,377

927.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.4M

$1,126 PKR 313.4K

429.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 210.8K

$14.93 PKR 4,155

292.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 116.3K

$21.83 PKR 6,076

48.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 368.8K

$70.0 PKR 19.5K

46.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 389.7K

$29.41 PKR 8,183

268.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$73.9 PKR 20.6K

544.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$50.8 PKR 14.1K

645.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$167 PKR 46.6K

400.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$106 PKR 29.5K

583.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,059 PKR 294.8K

163.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.4M

$463 PKR 128.9K

161.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$106 PKR 29.5K

383.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-29.32%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mehar: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $73.9 in Mehar. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 383% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $11.00 in Mehar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $87.0 – making Mehar the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Mehar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 159%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $586 in Mehar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mehar, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $11.00 in Mehar. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $390 in Mehar. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mehar, where all-in costs run around $390, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Mehar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mehar – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Mehar. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.