Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Quetta Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Quetta

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $346 in Quetta, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $537 in Quetta, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $728 in Quetta, rent included.

Medellin costs about 190% more than Quetta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Quetta are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Quetta 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$3.52 PKR 977

67.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.9K

$10.63 PKR 2,950

210.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$4.38 PKR 1,216

69.63%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 478

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 PKR 431

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,212

$1.70 PKR 471

-2.94%

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

$1.10 COP 3,472

$0.42 PKR 117

161.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,461

$0.20 PKR 55.4

290.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,417

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,478

$0.74 PKR 206

48.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,966

$0.46 PKR 128

173.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,354

$1.03 PKR 285

33.98%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,866

$1.12 PKR 310

94.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.2K

$5.92 PKR 1,644

-24.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.3K

$2.58 PKR 716

124.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.3K

$4.12 PKR 1,143

117.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,315

$1.04 PKR 289

123.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,356

$0.55 PKR 154

92.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,779

$0.57 PKR 157

166.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,274

$0.48 PKR 133

183.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,555

$0.31 PKR 87.2

264.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,692

$0.48 PKR 132

143.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,841

$0.35 PKR 98.5

157.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,826

$0.32 PKR 90.1

181.25%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.45 PKR 402

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 PKR 93.1

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 PKR 581

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,041

$0.69 PKR 192

223.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,747

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,823

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,690

$0.16 PKR 43.93

431.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.2K

$5.23 PKR 1,453

695.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,463

$0.36 PKR 101

294.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,147

$0.62 PKR 171

214.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.9K

$1.73 PKR 481

356.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,122

$0.97 PKR 268

2.06%

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

$17.6K COP 55.5M

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

-18.29%

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

$26.8K COP 84.5M

$12.1K PKR 3.4M

120.68%

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

$83.0 COP 261.6K

$52.6 PKR 14.6K

57.87%

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

$9.70 COP 30.6K

$6.41 PKR 1,778

51.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$14.32 PKR 3,975

64.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.6K

$4.96 PKR 1,378

409.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.2K

$5.76 PKR 1,600

231.60%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$2.90 PKR 805

36.21%

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

$316 COP 995.3K

$34.09 PKR 9,461

826.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$417 PKR 115.7K

1333.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 189.1K

$6.98 PKR 1,937

759.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.3K

$7.24 PKR 2,010

339.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.4K

$87.1 PKR 24.2K

16.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.7K

$29.59 PKR 8,213

263.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$69.8 PKR 19.4K

580.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$49.30 PKR 13.7K

658.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$159 PKR 44.1K

434.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$96.5 PKR 26.8K

645.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$376 PKR 104.2K

769.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$214 PKR 59.3K

573.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$271 PKR 75.3K

130.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.92%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Quetta: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $69.8 in Quetta. 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 130% 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 $11.00 in Quetta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $84.0 – making Quetta 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 Quetta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 190%, 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 $519 in Quetta. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Quetta, 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 $11.00 in Quetta. 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 $346 in Quetta. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Quetta, where all-in costs run around $346, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Quetta it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Quetta – 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 Quetta. 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.