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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $303 in Okara, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $447 in Okara, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $592 in Okara, rent included.

Medellin costs about 242% more than Okara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Okara are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Okara 77% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Okara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.92 COP 21.4K
$1.05 PKR 293
463.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.75 COP 118.2K
$10.41 PKR 2,903
214.60%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.20 COP 26.0K
$4.16 PKR 1,158
73.08%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.87 PKR 801
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.81 PKR 505
-
Cappuccino
$1.70 COP 6,140
$1.19 PKR 331
42.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10 COP 3,966
$0.33 PKR 91.3
233.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72 COP 2,605
$0.23 PKR 64.2
213.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.67 COP 6,022
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10 COP 11.2K
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Okara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.06 COP 3,809
$0.72 PKR 201
47.22%
White Bread (500g)
$1.25 COP 4,497
$0.44 PKR 122
184.09%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.39 COP 5,022
$1.17 PKR 326
18.80%
Eggs
$2.26 COP 8,168
$1.16 PKR 324
94.83%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.33 COP 15.6K
$2.25 PKR 628
92.44%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.84 COP 21.1K
$2.33 PKR 649
150.64%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.83 COP 31.9K
$3.21 PKR 896
175.08%
Apples (1kg)
$2.24 COP 8,099
$1.07 PKR 298
109.35%
Banana (1kg)
$1.08 COP 3,882
$0.51 PKR 142
111.76%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.53 COP 5,522
$0.42 PKR 117
264.29%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.37 COP 4,950
$0.45 PKR 124
204.44%
Potato (1kg)
$1.13 COP 4,078
$0.33 PKR 90.7
242.42%
Onion (1kg)
$1.12 COP 4,036
$0.51 PKR 142
119.61%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.85 COP 3,057
$0.39 PKR 109
117.95%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91 COP 3,281
$0.29 PKR 81.3
213.79%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$0.69 PKR 192
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.34 PKR 93.6
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$0.90 PKR 252
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.33 COP 8,414
$1.52 PKR 423
53.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.13 COP 40.2K
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19 COP 4,309
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 COP 8,553
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Okara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.79 COP 2,838
$0.10 PKR 27.66
690.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.13 COP 148.5K
$2.86 PKR 798
1338.11%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.44 COP 5,184
$0.70 PKR 194
105.71%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.91 COP 6,901
$0.49 PKR 137
289.80%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.02 COP 28.9K
$1.80 PKR 501
345.56%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.94 COP 3,385
$0.96 PKR 269
-2.08%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.9K COP 64.7M
$17.6K PKR 4.9M
1.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K COP 96.7M
$23.1K PKR 6.4M
15.83%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Okara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.0 COP 303.1K
$89.0 PKR 24.8K
-5.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.60 COP 34.7K
$3.15 PKR 879
204.76%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.16 COP 87.2K
$10.40 PKR 2,900
132.31%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Okara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.88 COP 93.4K
$12.51 PKR 3,488
106.87%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.04 COP 68.7K
$5.83 PKR 1,625
226.59%
Cinema Ticket
$3.92 COP 14.1K
$4.16 PKR 1,159
-5.77%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Okara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$306 COP 1.1M
$14.22 PKR 3,963
2054.43%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,919 COP 21.4M
$1,255 PKR 349.9K
371.53%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Okara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.9 COP 209.1K
$15.02 PKR 4,187
285.55%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.82 COP 114.9K
$21.53 PKR 6,003
47.79%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.9 COP 360.6K
$31.30 PKR 8,725
219.17%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107 COP 386.8K
$30.71 PKR 8,560
248.88%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Okara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$487 COP 1.8M
$27.84 PKR 7,761
1648.31%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$368 COP 1.3M
$17.77 PKR 4,955
1971.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$826 COP 3.0M
$42.28 PKR 11.8K
1852.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$716 COP 2.6M
$31.91 PKR 8,895
2144.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,925 COP 10.6M
$740 PKR 206.3K
295.22%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,407 COP 5.1M
$505 PKR 140.7K
178.71%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Okara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$546 COP 2.0M
$143 PKR 39.8K
282.30%
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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Okara: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $27.84 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 282% 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 $10.00 in Okara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $68.0 – 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
Is Okara cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 242%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $454 in Okara. 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 Okara, 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 Okara?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $10.00 in Okara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin vs Okara?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $303 in Okara. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Medellin or Okara?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Okara, where all-in costs run around $303, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Okara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Okara more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.

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