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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $498 in Okara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $718 in Okara, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $939 in Okara, rent included.

Medellin costs about 238% more than Okara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Okara is 64% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$2.52 PKR 698

218.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$14.23 PKR 3,942

236.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$5.56 PKR 1,539

77.88%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.53 PKR 978

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 PKR 1,508

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$2.58 PKR 715

21.32%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.39 PKR 108

389.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.26 PKR 72.6

480.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$0.62 PKR 172

132.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.67 PKR 186

271.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.16 PKR 323

52.59%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.18 PKR 326

150.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$6.32 PKR 1,751

59.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$2.53 PKR 702

300.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$4.95 PKR 1,371

188.89%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.22 PKR 339

239.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$0.68 PKR 189

136.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$0.86 PKR 239

161.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$0.65 PKR 181

246.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.30 PKR 83.8

580.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.33 PKR 91.0

366.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.50 PKR 138

134.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.37 PKR 102

254.05%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.05 PKR 291

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 PKR 180

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 PKR 479

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.14 PKR 592

82.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.19 PKR 52.9

542.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$10.14 PKR 2,809

693.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$0.89 PKR 245

47.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.73 PKR 203

200.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$1.77 PKR 491

392.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.93 PKR 256

47.31%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$17.7K PKR 4.9M

57.06%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$26.2K PKR 7.3M

36.69%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$130 PKR 36.1K

36.23%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$5.34 PKR 1,480

159.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$16.58 PKR 4,594

79.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$6.17 PKR 1,708

627.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$4.25 PKR 1,176

56.47%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$14.66 PKR 4,061

5445.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$1,987 PKR 550.4K

362.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$17.30 PKR 4,791

417.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$26.97 PKR 7,470

118.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$75.6 PKR 20.9K

82.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$31.95 PKR 8,851

219.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$127 PKR 35.2K

734.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$78.1 PKR 21.6K

748.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$271 PKR 75.0K

597.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$130 PKR 36.0K

690.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$806 PKR 223.3K

418.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$489 PKR 135.3K

242.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$142 PKR 39.4K

376.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

14.28

-23.39%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Okara: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $127 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 376% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $14.00 in Okara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $94.0 – 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 238%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $746 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $14.00 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $498 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 $498, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.