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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $420 in Quetta, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $617 in Quetta, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $814 in Quetta, rent included.

Medellin costs about 300% more than Quetta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Quetta is 69% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$3.70 PKR 1,026

116.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$10.78 PKR 2,987

344.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$4.53 PKR 1,255

118.32%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 PKR 502

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.27 PKR 1,460

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$1.59 PKR 442

96.86%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.39 PKR 107

389.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.20 PKR 54.4

655.00%

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

$0.69 PKR 192

108.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.56 PKR 155

344.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.23 PKR 341

43.90%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.22 PKR 337

142.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$4.93 PKR 1,366

104.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$2.83 PKR 785

257.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$5.12 PKR 1,419

179.30%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$0.93 PKR 258

345.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$0.57 PKR 159

182.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$0.69 PKR 190

226.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$0.55 PKR 153

309.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.30 PKR 82.0

580.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.56 PKR 156

175.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.43 PKR 118

172.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.39 PKR 108

235.90%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.75 PKR 485

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 PKR 300

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 PKR 788

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.09 PKR 579

86.60%

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

$0.13 PKR 36.35

838.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$10.27 PKR 2,845

683.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$1.04 PKR 288

25.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.43 PKR 120

409.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$1.78 PKR 493

389.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.07 PKR 296

28.04%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$24.0K PKR 6.7M

15.81%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$24.2K PKR 6.7M

47.60%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$103 PKR 28.5K

72.27%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$8.11 PKR 2,246

71.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$16.41 PKR 4,547

81.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$5.78 PKR 1,602

676.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$3.33 PKR 923

99.70%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$34.78 PKR 9,635

2237.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$995 PKR 275.5K

823.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$8.08 PKR 2,237

1007.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$22.81 PKR 6,318

158.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$70.8 PKR 19.6K

95.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$34.10 PKR 9,446

199.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$71.4 PKR 19.8K

1387.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$49.66 PKR 13.8K

1234.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$165 PKR 45.8K

1041.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$99.5 PKR 27.6K

932.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$376 PKR 104.3K

1011.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$219 PKR 60.6K

665.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$274 PKR 75.9K

147.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

12.88

-15.06%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Quetta: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $71.4 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 147% 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 $11.00 in Quetta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $89.0 – 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 300%, 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 $630 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 $48.00 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $420 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 $420, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.