😐A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $423 in Rawalpindi, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $670 in Rawalpindi, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $917 in Rawalpindi, rent included.
😐Medellin costs about 144% more than Rawalpindi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Medellin and Rawalpindi are more affordable than the global median – Medellin23% lower, Rawalpindi68% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Rawalpindi
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.92COP 21.4K
$1.75PKR 487
238.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.75COP 118.2K
$14.30PKR 3,985
129.02%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.20COP 26.0K
$5.38PKR 1,501
33.83%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.63PKR 454
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.53PKR 985
-
Cappuccino
$1.70COP 6,140
$1.71PKR 477
-0.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10COP 3,966
$0.31PKR 87.8
254.84%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72COP 2,605
$0.21PKR 58.3
242.86%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.67COP 6,022
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10COP 11.2K
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Rawalpindi
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.06COP 3,809
$0.85PKR 238
24.71%
White Bread(500g)
$1.25COP 4,497
$0.52PKR 144
140.38%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.39COP 5,022
$1.29PKR 360
7.75%
Eggs
$2.26COP 8,168
$1.18PKR 329
91.53%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.33COP 15.6K
$6.18PKR 1,724
-29.94%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.84COP 21.1K
$3.44PKR 959
69.77%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.83COP 31.9K
$4.46PKR 1,244
97.98%
Apples(1kg)
$2.24COP 8,099
$1.00PKR 280
124.00%
Banana(1kg)
$1.08COP 3,882
$0.64PKR 177
68.75%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.53COP 5,522
$0.86PKR 239
77.91%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.37COP 4,950
$0.48PKR 134
185.42%
Potato(1kg)
$1.13COP 4,078
$0.36PKR 101
213.89%
Onion(1kg)
$1.12COP 4,036
$0.49PKR 136
128.57%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.85COP 3,057
$0.24PKR 66.3
254.17%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91COP 3,281
$0.36PKR 101
152.78%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
-
$15.92PKR 4,437
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.99PKR 277
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.30PKR 643
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.33COP 8,414
$1.94PKR 541
20.10%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.13COP 40.2K
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19COP 4,309
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37COP 8,553
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Rawalpindi
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.79COP 2,838
$0.18PKR 50.8
338.89%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.13COP 148.5K
$9.95PKR 2,774
313.37%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.44COP 5,184
$0.84PKR 234
71.43%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.91COP 6,901
$0.35PKR 98.2
445.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.02COP 28.9K
$3.07PKR 856
161.24%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.94COP 3,385
$0.97PKR 271
-3.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.9KCOP 64.7M
$17.6KPKR 4.9M
1.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8KCOP 96.7M
$23.2KPKR 6.5M
15.59%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Rawalpindi
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$84.0COP 303.1K
$103PKR 28.7K
-18.31%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.60COP 34.7K
$3.95PKR 1,101
143.04%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.16COP 87.2K
$16.31PKR 4,545
48.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Rawalpindi
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.88COP 93.4K
$9.99PKR 2,784
159.06%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.04COP 68.7K
$7.52PKR 2,097
153.19%
Cinema Ticket
$3.92COP 14.1K
$3.64PKR 1,015
7.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Rawalpindi
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$306COP 1.1M
$39.91PKR 11.1K
667.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,919COP 21.4M
$953PKR 265.7K
520.97%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Rawalpindi
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.9COP 209.1K
$11.64PKR 3,246
397.51%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.82COP 114.9K
$18.40PKR 5,131
72.93%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$99.9COP 360.6K
$88.8PKR 24.8K
12.51%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107COP 386.8K
$28.47PKR 7,937
276.33%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Rawalpindi
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$487COP 1.8M
$130PKR 36.2K
274.58%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$368COP 1.3M
$64.5PKR 18.0K
470.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$826COP 3.0M
$327PKR 91.2K
152.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$716COP 2.6M
$174PKR 48.5K
311.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,925COP 10.6M
$1,159PKR 323.0K
152.49%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,407COP 5.1M
$522PKR 145.4K
169.68%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Rawalpindi
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$546COP 2.0M
$174PKR 48.4K
214.36%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.43
20.17
-33.42%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Medellin: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Rawalpindi: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $130 in Rawalpindi. 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 214% 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 $14.00 in Rawalpindi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $95.0 – making Rawalpindi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Medellin vs Rawalpindi: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is Rawalpindi cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 144%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $635 in Rawalpindi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Rawalpindi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or Rawalpindi?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $14.00 in Rawalpindi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin vs Rawalpindi?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $423 in Rawalpindi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for Medellin or Rawalpindi?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Rawalpindi, where all-in costs run around $423, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Rawalpindi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Rawalpindi more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Rawalpindi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Rawalpindi. 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.
Medellin vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado