Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Rawalpindi Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Rawalpindi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $427 in Rawalpindi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $665 in Rawalpindi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $902 in Rawalpindi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 138% more than Rawalpindi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Rawalpindi are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Rawalpindi 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$1.75 PKR 485

240.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$14.18 PKR 3,942

135.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$5.18 PKR 1,441

39.58%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 PKR 435

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 PKR 951

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.67 PKR 464

-2.40%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.34 PKR 95.4

220.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.21 PKR 58.1

247.62%

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

$0.80 PKR 221

31.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.56 PKR 156

130.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.29 PKR 358

2.33%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.17 PKR 326

94.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$6.08 PKR 1,690

-28.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$3.33 PKR 926

76.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$4.52 PKR 1,256

90.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$0.99 PKR 275

127.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$0.64 PKR 178

67.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$0.92 PKR 256

65.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.51 PKR 141

178.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.36 PKR 100

225.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.49 PKR 136

138.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.24 PKR 66.7

270.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.40 PKR 110

125.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$16.38 PKR 4,554

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 PKR 285

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 PKR 635

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$1.90 PKR 530

18.42%

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

$0.20 PKR 55.9

320.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$9.52 PKR 2,646

340.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.84 PKR 234

67.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.33 PKR 91.0

475.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$3.07 PKR 854

152.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.91 PKR 254

10.99%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$17.4K PKR 4.9M

0.77%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$22.9K PKR 6.4M

15.86%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$100 PKR 27.9K

-16.55%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$4.12 PKR 1,146

129.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$16.38 PKR 4,555

47.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$10.15 PKR 2,821

149.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$7.73 PKR 2,150

147.61%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$3.61 PKR 1,005

13.57%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$40.70 PKR 11.3K

666.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$965 PKR 268.4K

520.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$11.77 PKR 3,273

393.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$18.65 PKR 5,184

74.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$89.8 PKR 25.0K

10.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$28.17 PKR 7,832

285.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$133 PKR 37.0K

262.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$65.5 PKR 18.2K

479.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$333 PKR 92.6K

151.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$172 PKR 47.9K

319.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,130 PKR 314.2K

151.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$511 PKR 142.1K

139.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$173 PKR 48.2K

211.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

20.17

-33.42%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Rawalpindi: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $133 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 212% 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.

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 Rawalpindi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 138%, 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 $641 in Rawalpindi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,017 in Medellin and $427 in Rawalpindi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Rawalpindi, where all-in costs run around $427, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Rawalpindi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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.