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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $431 in Rawalpindi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $665 in Rawalpindi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $899 in Rawalpindi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 133% more than Rawalpindi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Rawalpindi are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Rawalpindi 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$1.79 PKR 497

230.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$14.27 PKR 3,959

130.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$5.26 PKR 1,460

41.25%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.60 PKR 445

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 PKR 950

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.66 PKR 460

-0.60%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.34 PKR 95.5

223.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.21 PKR 58.0

271.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$0.79 PKR 219

39.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.56 PKR 156

125.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.30 PKR 361

6.15%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.14 PKR 316

91.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$5.98 PKR 1,660

-24.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$3.26 PKR 906

77.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$4.47 PKR 1,240

100.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.02 PKR 283

127.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$0.63 PKR 175

68.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$0.84 PKR 233

80.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.50 PKR 139

172.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.37 PKR 102

205.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.52 PKR 144

125.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.26 PKR 72.8

246.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.40 PKR 110

125.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$15.96 PKR 4,429

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 PKR 284

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 PKR 658

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$1.92 PKR 533

16.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.20 PKR 56.6

325.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$9.59 PKR 2,663

333.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.85 PKR 235

67.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.32 PKR 90.0

509.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$3.09 PKR 858

155.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.95 PKR 264

4.21%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$17.5K PKR 4.9M

0.54%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$22.9K PKR 6.4M

17.02%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$101 PKR 28.0K

-17.61%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$3.96 PKR 1,100

144.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$16.35 PKR 4,537

43.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$9.86 PKR 2,736

156.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$7.42 PKR 2,060

157.41%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$3.57 PKR 990

10.64%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$40.97 PKR 11.4K

670.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$963 PKR 267.2K

520.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$11.74 PKR 3,258

411.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$18.96 PKR 5,263

67.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$89.7 PKR 24.9K

13.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$29.12 PKR 8,081

268.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$133 PKR 36.9K

256.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$66.5 PKR 18.5K

462.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$334 PKR 92.8K

153.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$173 PKR 48.1K

314.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,133 PKR 314.6K

188.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$510 PKR 141.6K

182.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$176 PKR 48.7K

255.53%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Rawalpindi: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 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 256% 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: $193 vs $94.0 – 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 133%, 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 $646 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 $1,003 in Medellin and $431 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 $431, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.