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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $399 in Pakpattan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $590 in Pakpattan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $781 in Pakpattan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 151% more than Pakpattan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Pakpattan are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Pakpattan 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$2.14 PKR 595

176.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$8.83 PKR 2,449

273.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$5.35 PKR 1,486

38.88%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 PKR 506

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 PKR 908

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.39 PKR 386

18.71%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.30 PKR 83.4

266.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.22 PKR 60.1

254.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$0.58 PKR 161

89.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.60 PKR 165

110.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.03 PKR 286

33.98%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.07 PKR 298

103.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$4.90 PKR 1,360

-8.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$2.49 PKR 692

132.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$3.01 PKR 836

198.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$0.99 PKR 275

134.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$0.73 PKR 204

45.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$0.53 PKR 148

186.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.48 PKR 134

183.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.37 PKR 104

205.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.42 PKR 117

178.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.55 PKR 154

63.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.39 PKR 107

130.77%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.87 PKR 519

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 PKR 446

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 PKR 517

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$1.91 PKR 530

16.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.17 PKR 47.85

400.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$7.03 PKR 1,952

492.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.08 PKR 300

31.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.50 PKR 139

290.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$1.37 PKR 380

475.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.99 PKR 273

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$22.5K PKR 6.3M

-21.87%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$21.7K PKR 6.0M

23.36%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$102 PKR 28.3K

-18.51%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$4.93 PKR 1,368

96.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$13.93 PKR 3,866

68.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$12.21 PKR 3,388

106.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$5.99 PKR 1,662

218.86%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$2.66 PKR 739

48.50%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$36.72 PKR 10.2K

759.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$1,756 PKR 487.2K

240.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$16.82 PKR 4,668

256.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$27.76 PKR 7,704

14.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$69.7 PKR 19.3K

45.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$29.00 PKR 8,049

270.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$76.2 PKR 21.1K

523.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$51.6 PKR 14.3K

625.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$166 PKR 46.2K

410.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$106 PKR 29.3K

581.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$977 PKR 271.2K

234.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$510 PKR 141.5K

182.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$107 PKR 29.6K

485.51%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Pakpattan: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $76.2 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 486% 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: $193 vs $79.0 – 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 151%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $599 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 $1,003 in Medellin and $399 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 $399, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.