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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $495 in Rawalpindi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $781 in Rawalpindi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,067 in Rawalpindi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 240% more than Rawalpindi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Rawalpindi is 64% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$2.05 PKR 569

291.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$16.07 PKR 4,452

197.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$5.84 PKR 1,617

69.35%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 PKR 487

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 PKR 971

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$1.98 PKR 549

58.08%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.44 PKR 121

334.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.25 PKR 69.4

504.00%

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

$0.91 PKR 251

58.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.54 PKR 151

361.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.23 PKR 340

43.90%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.11 PKR 308

166.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$6.32 PKR 1,752

59.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$3.57 PKR 990

183.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$5.05 PKR 1,398

183.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.20 PKR 331

245.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$0.84 PKR 232

91.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.22 PKR 338

84.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$0.53 PKR 146

324.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.36 PKR 99.5

466.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.45 PKR 124

242.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.31 PKR 84.9

277.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.43 PKR 118

204.65%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$16.09 PKR 4,458

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 PKR 316

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 PKR 657

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$1.93 PKR 535

102.07%

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

$0.18 PKR 50.5

577.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$9.99 PKR 2,767

705.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$0.93 PKR 258

40.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.35 PKR 96.1

525.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$3.11 PKR 861

180.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.13 PKR 313

21.24%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$17.9K PKR 5.0M

55.48%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$24.1K PKR 6.7M

48.35%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$113 PKR 31.2K

57.21%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$5.55 PKR 1,537

150.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$18.88 PKR 5,229

57.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$12.11 PKR 3,354

270.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$6.81 PKR 1,886

151.40%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$4.26 PKR 1,179

56.10%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$48.70 PKR 13.5K

1569.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$833 PKR 230.8K

1002.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$20.41 PKR 5,653

338.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$28.85 PKR 7,993

104.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$93.7 PKR 26.0K

47.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$36.19 PKR 10.0K

182.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$201 PKR 55.6K

429.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$83.0 PKR 23.0K

698.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$428 PKR 118.6K

341.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$226 PKR 62.6K

354.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$1,170 PKR 324.1K

257.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$507 PKR 140.5K

230.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$173 PKR 48.0K

290.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

22.81

-52.04%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Rawalpindi: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $201 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 291% 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 $16.00 in Rawalpindi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $103 – 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 240%, 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 $742 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $16.00 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $495 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 $495, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.