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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $287 in Muzaffarabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $489 in Muzaffarabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $690 in Muzaffarabad, rent included.

Medellin costs about 253% more than Muzaffarabad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Muzaffarabad are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Muzaffarabad 79% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$1.37 PKR 382

337.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$14.42 PKR 4,011

127.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$2.15 PKR 598

229.77%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 PKR 382

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 PKR 977

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$1.03 PKR 286

66.02%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.32 PKR 88.8

243.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.21 PKR 58.4

271.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$0.80 PKR 221

36.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.56 PKR 157

125.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.25 PKR 349

10.40%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.16 PKR 323

88.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$5.95 PKR 1,654

-26.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$2.66 PKR 740

111.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$2.94 PKR 817

202.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.00 PKR 279

134.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$0.63 PKR 176

68.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$0.54 PKR 151

177.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$0.47 PKR 131

193.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.36 PKR 101

219.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$0.43 PKR 120

169.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.26 PKR 72.6

242.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.36 PKR 101

133.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.38 PKR 384

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 PKR 285

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 PKR 645

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$1.43 PKR 398

59.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.37 PKR 102

132.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$7.00 PKR 1,947

491.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.85 PKR 236

72.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.35 PKR 98.7

460.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$2.69 PKR 748

187.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$0.95 PKR 265

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$17.4K PKR 4.8M

4.10%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$22.7K PKR 6.3M

16.63%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$53.9 PKR 15.0K

52.65%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$4.00 PKR 1,114

137.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$11.28 PKR 3,138

114.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$7.11 PKR 1,978

264.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$5.37 PKR 1,493

253.82%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$3.47 PKR 965

13.26%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$24.39 PKR 6,786

1168.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$934 PKR 259.9K

538.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$5.27 PKR 1,466

1013.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$9.03 PKR 2,513

258.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$87.0 PKR 24.2K

17.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$10.45 PKR 2,907

937.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$59.0 PKR 16.4K

707.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$27.15 PKR 7,553

1295.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$143 PKR 39.7K

487.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$110 PKR 30.7K

556.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,020 PKR 283.7K

173.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$441 PKR 122.6K

174.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$291 PKR 80.9K

75.91%

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 Muzaffarabad: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $59.0 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 76% 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: $188 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 253%, 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 $431 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $287 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 $287, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.