Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Skardu Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Skardu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $382 in Skardu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $573 in Skardu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $765 in Skardu, rent included.

Medellin costs about 165% more than Skardu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Skardu are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Skardu 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.5K

$1.75 PKR 488

242.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 118.1K

$10.62 PKR 2,956

209.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.5K

$4.11 PKR 1,144

72.51%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 PKR 500

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 PKR 1,001

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,155

$0.46 PKR 128

271.74%

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

$1.10 COP 3,950

$0.35 PKR 96.2

214.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,799

$0.23 PKR 64.1

239.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 6,037

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,931

$0.73 PKR 202

49.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,537

$0.60 PKR 167

110.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,955

$1.21 PKR 338

14.05%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,878

$1.12 PKR 312

95.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.8K

$6.15 PKR 1,710

-28.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.2K

$2.55 PKR 710

120.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 32.0K

$3.63 PKR 1,011

144.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,403

$1.04 PKR 289

125.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,802

$0.66 PKR 183

60.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,409

$0.61 PKR 170

145.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,956

$0.49 PKR 136

181.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,138

$0.37 PKR 104

210.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,183

$0.47 PKR 131

146.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,203

$0.31 PKR 86.2

187.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 3,016

$0.36 PKR 100

133.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.36 PKR 378

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 PKR 241

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 PKR 568

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,198

$1.90 PKR 528

20.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,312

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,882

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,076

$0.19 PKR 54.3

352.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 148.8K

$6.91 PKR 1,923

499.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,298

$0.90 PKR 250

63.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,055

$0.41 PKR 114

378.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.8K

$1.75 PKR 486

342.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,431

$0.98 PKR 273

-3.06%

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

$18.1K COP 65.2M

$21.2K PKR 5.9M

-14.61%

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

$26.5K COP 95.2M

$22.8K PKR 6.4M

16.02%

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

$82.3 COP 295.7K

$102 PKR 28.4K

-19.43%

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

$9.50 COP 34.2K

$7.18 PKR 1,999

32.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 87.1K

$11.13 PKR 3,096

117.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 93.0K

$12.57 PKR 3,498

105.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 68.3K

$5.83 PKR 1,624

225.90%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.1K

$3.61 PKR 1,006

8.86%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$29.43 PKR 8,188

951.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.4M

$1,094 PKR 304.5K

445.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 210.8K

$15.31 PKR 4,259

283.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 116.3K

$22.03 PKR 6,131

46.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 368.8K

$69.1 PKR 19.2K

48.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 389.7K

$29.47 PKR 8,200

267.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$74.0 PKR 20.6K

543.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$52.2 PKR 14.5K

625.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$167 PKR 46.5K

401.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$108 PKR 30.0K

570.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$917 PKR 255.1K

204.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.4M

$567 PKR 157.9K

113.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-29.32%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Skardu: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $74.0 in Skardu. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $11.00 in Skardu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $86.0 – making Skardu 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 Skardu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 165%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $573 in Skardu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Skardu, 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 Skardu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $382 in Skardu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Skardu, where all-in costs run around $382, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Skardu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Skardu – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Skardu. 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.