Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mehar

For one person, living is cheaper in Mehar: $447 a month against $1,625 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $14,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,625
/mo nomad
Mehar
🇵🇰 Pakistan
$447
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Mehar

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Mehar actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,625 per month in Medellin vs $447 in Mehar, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,625
  • Mehar $447

A couple spends around $2,412 per month in Medellin vs $667 in Mehar, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,412
  • Mehar $667

A family of three spends $3,199 per month in Medellin vs $887 in Mehar, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,199
  • Mehar $887

Medellin costs about 263% more than Mehar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Mehar is 67% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Mehar
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.30 COP 26.3K
$2.12 PKR 586
291.51%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.91 COP 148.7K
$10.76 PKR 2,977
335.97%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.24 COP 29.3K
$5.37 PKR 1,487
72.07%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.46 PKR 682
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$5.36 PKR 1,482
-
Cappuccino
$3.05 COP 9,676
$1.58 PKR 437
93.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,707
$0.35 PKR 97.0
414.29%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 COP 4,382
$0.17 PKR 48.28
711.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.24 COP 10.3K
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.56 COP 17.6K
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Mehar
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 COP 4,760
$0.84 PKR 231
78.57%
White Bread (500g)
$2.37 COP 7,508
$0.62 PKR 172
282.26%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.70 COP 5,377
$1.12 PKR 311
51.79%
Eggs
$2.96 COP 9,379
$1.20 PKR 332
146.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.22 COP 32.4K
$5.71 PKR 1,580
78.98%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.74 COP 30.9K
$2.57 PKR 712
278.99%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.90 COP 44.1K
$5.03 PKR 1,391
176.34%
Apples (1kg)
$4.13 COP 13.1K
$1.16 PKR 320
256.03%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,839
$0.55 PKR 151
178.18%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 COP 7,052
$0.79 PKR 218
181.01%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.27 COP 7,194
$0.56 PKR 156
305.36%
Potato (1kg)
$1.99 COP 6,311
$0.30 PKR 83.5
563.33%
Onion (1kg)
$1.67 COP 5,285
$0.38 PKR 106
339.47%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.18 COP 3,742
$0.42 PKR 115
180.95%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 3,919
$0.35 PKR 95.7
254.29%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$1.81 PKR 502
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.06 PKR 293
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.37 PKR 657
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.87 COP 12.3K
$2.02 PKR 559
91.58%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.78 COP 43.7K
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,256
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 COP 7,615
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Mehar
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.24 COP 3,944
$0.20 PKR 54.3
520.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$78.2 COP 248.0K
$9.77 PKR 2,703
700.51%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.28 COP 4,044
$1.10 PKR 304
16.36%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.15 COP 6,803
$0.71 PKR 196
202.82%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.37 COP 26.5K
$1.64 PKR 453
410.37%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,288
$1.24 PKR 342
8.87%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.8K COP 110.2M
$22.1K PKR 6.1M
57.44%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 110.0M
$24.3K PKR 6.7M
42.49%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Mehar
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 COP 528.4K
$101 PKR 28.0K
64.48%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.62 COP 43.2K
$5.71 PKR 1,581
138.53%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.12 COP 92.3K
$14.30 PKR 3,958
103.64%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Mehar
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.09 COP 143.0K
$15.17 PKR 4,199
197.23%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.18 COP 54.5K
$7.92 PKR 2,191
116.92%
Cinema Ticket
$6.97 COP 22.1K
$4.39 PKR 1,215
58.77%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Mehar
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.5M
$42.99 PKR 11.9K
1737.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,041 COP 28.7M
$1,021 PKR 282.7K
785.26%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Mehar
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.8 COP 278.4K
$16.60 PKR 4,595
428.92%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.2 COP 184.4K
$23.60 PKR 6,531
146.40%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$139 COP 440.7K
$67.9 PKR 18.8K
104.64%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.9 COP 313.5K
$33.37 PKR 9,235
196.28%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Mehar
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,028 COP 3.3M
$128 PKR 35.5K
702.66%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$620 COP 2.0M
$77.4 PKR 21.4K
700.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,881 COP 6.0M
$249 PKR 69.0K
654.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,008 COP 3.2M
$151 PKR 41.8K
567.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,988 COP 12.6M
$949 PKR 262.6K
320.42%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,702 COP 5.4M
$483 PKR 133.8K
252.11%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Mehar
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$663 COP 2.1M
$109 PKR 30.0K
511.20%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
13
-15.85%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 19, 2026

Last update for Mehar: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$619
Mehar
$77 87.5% $542
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$298
Mehar
$91 69.3% $206
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$209
Mehar
$121 42.1% $88
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$173
Mehar
$64 63.1% $109
Eating Out
Medellin
$171
Mehar
$54 68.3% $117
Getting Around
Medellin
$95
Mehar
$15 84% $80
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$59
Mehar
$24 59.4% $35

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,028 in Medellin versus $128 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 511% 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 $47.00 in Medellin versus $11.00 in Mehar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $91.0 – making Mehar the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇵🇰 Mehar
🕒 Local time
08:16 8:16 AM
18:16 6:16 PM
10 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PKR, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD). 1 EUR = 311 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Mehar 14,600 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Mehar

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Mehar cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 263%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,437 per month in Medellin and $671 in Mehar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Mehar?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Medellin and $11.00 in Mehar. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Mehar?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,625 in Medellin and $447 in Mehar. That's a gap of about 263%.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Mehar?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mehar, where all-in costs run around $447, than in Medellin at $1,625. In Mehar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Mehar more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.

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