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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,018 per month in Medellin vs $377 in Skardu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,609 per month in Medellin vs $576 in Skardu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,200 per month in Medellin vs $775 in Skardu, rent included.

Medellin costs about 170% more than Skardu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Skardu are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Skardu 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 COP 19.0K

$1.79 PKR 497

231.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.12 COP 106.0K

$10.50 PKR 2,916

215.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.8K

$4.14 PKR 1,149

71.98%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 PKR 479

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 PKR 998

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 5,457

$0.42 PKR 117

307.14%

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

$1.05 COP 3,356

$0.34 PKR 94.9

208.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,311

$0.23 PKR 63.9

213.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,502

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,408

$0.77 PKR 215

37.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,192

$0.56 PKR 155

133.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,256

$1.21 PKR 336

9.92%

Eggs

$2.28 COP 7,298

$1.17 PKR 324

94.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 COP 14.1K

$6.00 PKR 1,665

-26.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 COP 18.9K

$2.60 PKR 721

127.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.7K

$3.71 PKR 1,031

132.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 7,504

$1.05 PKR 290

122.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,527

$0.66 PKR 183

66.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,698

$0.67 PKR 186

119.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,415

$0.49 PKR 135

181.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,754

$0.35 PKR 95.9

234.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,744

$0.50 PKR 140

134.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,890

$0.31 PKR 85.6

190.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,693

$0.36 PKR 100

133.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.55 PKR 429

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PKR 259

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 PKR 560

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,449

$1.98 PKR 550

17.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,673

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,749

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,687

$0.20 PKR 56.5

320.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 130.7K

$7.10 PKR 1,972

475.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,517

$0.84 PKR 233

67.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,127

$0.40 PKR 111

377.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.0K

$1.78 PKR 495

339.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,020

$0.96 PKR 265

-2.08%

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

$17.8K COP 57.0M

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

-16.99%

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

$27.1K COP 86.7M

$22.7K PKR 6.3M

19.41%

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

$83.3 COP 266.4K

$102 PKR 28.3K

-18.37%

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

$9.66 COP 30.9K

$7.09 PKR 1,969

36.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 COP 77.5K

$11.40 PKR 3,165

112.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 80.7K

$12.46 PKR 3,458

102.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 61.9K

$6.02 PKR 1,670

221.10%

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 13.0K

$3.62 PKR 1,006

12.43%

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

$307 COP 981.2K

$29.27 PKR 8,128

947.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.1M

$1,105 PKR 306.7K

441.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.9K

$15.31 PKR 4,250

291.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 COP 104.5K

$21.94 PKR 6,091

48.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 323.5K

$68.7 PKR 19.1K

47.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 345.7K

$28.93 PKR 8,033

273.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

$73.9 PKR 20.5K

543.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

$52.7 PKR 14.6K

618.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

$168 PKR 46.7K

385.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

$108 PKR 29.9K

557.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.2M

$974 PKR 270.5K

227.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.6M

$484 PKR 134.2K

199.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Skardu: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $73.9 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: $192 vs $87.0 – 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 170%, 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 $1,527 per month in Medellin and $566 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 $1,018 in Medellin and $377 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 $377, than in Medellin at $1,018. 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.