Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Pakpattan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Pakpattan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $401 in Pakpattan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $585 in Pakpattan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $769 in Pakpattan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 154% more than Pakpattan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Pakpattan are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Pakpattan 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$2.10 PKR 584

183.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$9.00 PKR 2,501

270.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$5.24 PKR 1,456

37.98%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 PKR 500

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 PKR 902

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.44 PKR 400

13.19%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.30 PKR 83.8

263.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.18 PKR 51.4

305.56%

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

$0.59 PKR 163

77.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.60 PKR 167

115.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.04 PKR 290

26.92%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.04 PKR 289

118.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$4.83 PKR 1,343

-9.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$2.58 PKR 719

127.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$3.19 PKR 887

169.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$0.98 PKR 272

129.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$0.73 PKR 202

46.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$0.58 PKR 161

162.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.51 PKR 143

178.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.41 PKR 113

185.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.39 PKR 110

200.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.60 PKR 168

48.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.38 PKR 106

136.84%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.80 PKR 501

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 PKR 433

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 PKR 539

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$1.93 PKR 536

16.58%

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

$0.17 PKR 47.53

394.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$7.20 PKR 2,001

482.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.05 PKR 291

34.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.50 PKR 139

280.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$1.44 PKR 399

438.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.00 PKR 277

1.00%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$22.5K PKR 6.3M

-22.00%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$21.7K PKR 6.0M

21.90%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$104 PKR 29.0K

-19.89%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$4.73 PKR 1,314

99.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$14.00 PKR 3,893

72.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$12.44 PKR 3,457

103.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$5.91 PKR 1,643

223.86%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$2.72 PKR 757

50.74%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$35.91 PKR 9,984

768.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$1,800 PKR 500.3K

233.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$16.78 PKR 4,665

245.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$27.80 PKR 7,728

17.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$69.0 PKR 19.2K

44.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$29.07 PKR 8,082

273.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$76.0 PKR 21.1K

534.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$52.5 PKR 14.6K

622.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$164 PKR 45.6K

410.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$108 PKR 30.0K

571.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$926 PKR 257.3K

206.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$543 PKR 151.0K

125.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$106 PKR 29.4K

411.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

17.43

-22.95%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Pakpattan: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $76.0 in Pakpattan. 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 412% 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 $9.00 in Pakpattan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $80.0 – making Pakpattan 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 Pakpattan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 154%, 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 $601 in Pakpattan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pakpattan, 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 $9.00 in Pakpattan. 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 $401 in Pakpattan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Pakpattan, where all-in costs run around $401, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Pakpattan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pakpattan – 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 Pakpattan. 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.