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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $352 in Quetta, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $550 in Quetta, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $748 in Quetta, rent included.

Medellin costs about 189% more than Quetta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Quetta are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Quetta 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$3.45 PKR 960

72.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$10.69 PKR 2,972

211.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$4.40 PKR 1,223

64.32%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 PKR 500

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 PKR 435

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.62 PKR 449

0.62%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.42 PKR 118

159.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.22 PKR 61.2

231.82%

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

$0.74 PKR 207

41.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.46 PKR 129

180.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.07 PKR 298

23.36%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.08 PKR 299

110.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$5.94 PKR 1,652

-26.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$2.49 PKR 691

136.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$4.24 PKR 1,178

103.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.07 PKR 298

110.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$0.56 PKR 155

91.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$0.57 PKR 158

166.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.52 PKR 145

173.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.29 PKR 80.6

303.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.50 PKR 139

134.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.35 PKR 98.2

154.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.30 PKR 83.3

200.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.42 PKR 395

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 PKR 101

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 PKR 598

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$0.72 PKR 201

212.50%

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

$0.18 PKR 49.40

366.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$5.36 PKR 1,491

682.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.33 PKR 92.5

327.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.65 PKR 180

192.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$1.72 PKR 479

350.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.96 PKR 266

5.21%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$21.6K PKR 6.0M

-18.56%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$12.3K PKR 3.4M

116.08%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$52.6 PKR 14.6K

59.21%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$6.38 PKR 1,774

48.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$13.98 PKR 3,887

72.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$5.09 PKR 1,415

397.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$5.81 PKR 1,614

229.43%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$2.89 PKR 804

41.87%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$35.09 PKR 9,756

788.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$424 PKR 117.8K

1315.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$7.22 PKR 2,006

703.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$6.98 PKR 1,941

366.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$89.7 PKR 24.9K

11.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$29.19 PKR 8,116

271.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$69.9 PKR 19.4K

590.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$50.4 PKR 14.0K

652.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$157 PKR 43.7K

432.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$95.5 PKR 26.6K

657.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$381 PKR 106.0K

645.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$220 PKR 61.3K

454.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$213 PKR 59.3K

153.79%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Quetta: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $69.9 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 154% 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: $190 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 189%, 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 $527 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $352 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 $352, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.