Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Okara Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Okara

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $295 in Okara, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $438 in Okara, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $582 in Okara, rent included.

Medellin costs about 245% more than Okara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Okara are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Okara 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$1.04 PKR 288

472.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$10.75 PKR 2,989

210.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$4.11 PKR 1,144

75.91%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.90 PKR 805

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 PKR 501

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.22 PKR 339

33.61%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.35 PKR 97.9

211.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.23 PKR 64.2

217.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.73 PKR 204

43.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.40 PKR 111

222.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.21 PKR 336

9.09%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.16 PKR 323

95.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$2.23 PKR 620

95.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$2.36 PKR 656

149.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$3.19 PKR 888

169.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.05 PKR 293

114.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$0.55 PKR 153

94.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$0.42 PKR 118

261.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.45 PKR 125

215.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.36 PKR 98.8

225.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.52 PKR 146

125.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.43 PKR 119

106.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.29 PKR 80.8

210.34%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.92 PKR 257

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 PKR 101

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 PKR 255

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$1.53 PKR 425

47.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.12 PKR 33.14

600.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$2.85 PKR 793

1371.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.69 PKR 192

104.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.53 PKR 146

258.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$1.73 PKR 481

347.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.91 PKR 253

10.99%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$17.7K PKR 4.9M

-0.81%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$23.5K PKR 6.5M

12.81%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$90.2 PKR 25.1K

-7.19%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$3.10 PKR 861

204.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$10.65 PKR 2,961

126.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$12.63 PKR 3,511

100.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$6.05 PKR 1,682

216.36%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$4.30 PKR 1,195

-4.65%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$14.01 PKR 3,896

2126.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$1,239 PKR 344.6K

383.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$15.26 PKR 4,243

280.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$20.82 PKR 5,788

56.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$31.73 PKR 8,821

213.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$30.48 PKR 8,474

256.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$28.65 PKR 7,966

1583.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$17.41 PKR 4,839

2079.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$41.87 PKR 11.6K

1900.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$32.08 PKR 8,919

2154.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,004 PKR 279.2K

182.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$515 PKR 143.3K

137.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$145 PKR 40.3K

273.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

19.88

-32.44%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Okara: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $28.65 in Okara. 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 273% 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 Okara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $69.0 – making Okara 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 Okara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 245%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $442 in Okara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,017 in Medellin and $295 in Okara. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Okara, where all-in costs run around $295, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Okara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Okara – 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 Okara. 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.