Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Muzaffarabad Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Muzaffarabad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $286 in Muzaffarabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $492 in Muzaffarabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $698 in Muzaffarabad, rent included.

Medellin costs about 261% more than Muzaffarabad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Muzaffarabad are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Muzaffarabad 79% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$1.43 PKR 398

330.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$14.04 PKR 3,898

132.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$2.11 PKR 585

247.87%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.39 PKR 385

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 PKR 970

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$1.07 PKR 298

60.75%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.32 PKR 88.8

228.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.21 PKR 58.1

266.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.84 PKR 233

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.52 PKR 145

150.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.26 PKR 349

11.11%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$1.16 PKR 323

86.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$6.10 PKR 1,695

-28.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$2.66 PKR 739

121.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$2.92 PKR 811

195.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$0.93 PKR 259

145.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$0.65 PKR 180

70.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$0.52 PKR 143

194.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.46 PKR 128

193.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.34 PKR 94.1

232.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.44 PKR 122

156.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.24 PKR 66.5

254.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.36 PKR 101

152.78%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.40 PKR 390

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 PKR 276

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 PKR 655

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$1.38 PKR 382

69.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.37 PKR 102

127.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$7.14 PKR 1,983

468.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.84 PKR 233

69.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.33 PKR 90.9

481.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$2.59 PKR 718

195.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.95 PKR 265

4.21%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$17.9K PKR 5.0M

0.63%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$22.5K PKR 6.3M

18.11%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$53.6 PKR 14.9K

50.85%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$4.02 PKR 1,117

147.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$11.70 PKR 3,249

106.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$7.19 PKR 1,997

248.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$5.34 PKR 1,482

258.61%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$3.64 PKR 1,010

9.34%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$25.13 PKR 6,978

1114.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$934 PKR 259.3K

548.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$5.29 PKR 1,469

998.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$8.78 PKR 2,439

266.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$87.8 PKR 24.4K

14.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$10.62 PKR 2,950

914.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$59.2 PKR 16.4K

705.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$27.33 PKR 7,588

1276.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$143 PKR 39.7K

490.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$111 PKR 30.9K

555.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$821 PKR 228.1K

291.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$516 PKR 143.4K

165.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$290 PKR 80.6K

112.59%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Muzaffarabad: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $59.2 in Muzaffarabad. 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 113% 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 $14.00 in Muzaffarabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $84.0 – making Muzaffarabad 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 Muzaffarabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 261%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $428 in Muzaffarabad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Muzaffarabad, 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 $14.00 in Muzaffarabad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,031 in Medellin and $286 in Muzaffarabad. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Muzaffarabad, where all-in costs run around $286, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Muzaffarabad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Muzaffarabad – 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 Muzaffarabad. 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.