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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $395 in Pakpattan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $582 in Pakpattan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $770 in Pakpattan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 162% more than Pakpattan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Pakpattan are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Pakpattan 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$2.14 PKR 596

176.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$8.87 PKR 2,472

269.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$5.18 PKR 1,445

39.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 PKR 485

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 PKR 896

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.38 PKR 385

23.19%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.30 PKR 84.8

266.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.20 PKR 56.7

260.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$0.60 PKR 166

76.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.56 PKR 156

123.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.04 PKR 290

33.65%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.04 PKR 289

117.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$4.80 PKR 1,338

-9.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$2.53 PKR 705

130.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$3.15 PKR 878

180.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.01 PKR 282

121.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$0.67 PKR 187

61.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$0.58 PKR 163

163.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.52 PKR 145

163.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.41 PKR 114

175.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.39 PKR 110

187.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.60 PKR 168

41.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.35 PKR 98.7

160.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.74 PKR 205

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 PKR 448

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 PKR 533

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$1.92 PKR 536

21.35%

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

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.16 PKR 43.77

393.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$6.91 PKR 1,927

495.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.05 PKR 292

37.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.53 PKR 148

260.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$1.40 PKR 389

472.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.93 PKR 258

1.08%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$21.9K PKR 6.1M

-18.26%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$21.8K PKR 6.1M

23.12%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$102 PKR 28.5K

-17.73%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$4.81 PKR 1,342

99.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$13.66 PKR 3,808

76.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$12.27 PKR 3,420

110.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$5.91 PKR 1,647

222.17%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$2.57 PKR 717

52.53%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$36.35 PKR 10.1K

742.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$1,741 PKR 485.3K

240.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$16.73 PKR 4,663

246.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$27.65 PKR 7,709

15.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$70.6 PKR 19.7K

41.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$29.08 PKR 8,107

268.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$76.0 PKR 21.2K

540.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$52.8 PKR 14.7K

596.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$170 PKR 47.4K

385.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$106 PKR 29.7K

573.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$798 PKR 222.5K

266.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$584 PKR 162.7K

141.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$106 PKR 29.7K

412.36%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Pakpattan: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 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 $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 162%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $592 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 $1,034 in Medellin and $395 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 $395, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.