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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $437 in Skardu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $661 in Skardu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $885 in Skardu, rent included.

Medellin costs about 293% more than Skardu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Skardu is 68% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$2.38 PKR 660

237.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$12.05 PKR 3,341

300.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$4.76 PKR 1,319

105.25%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.81 PKR 778

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 PKR 1,403

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$1.44 PKR 399

102.08%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$0.39 PKR 107

397.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$0.23 PKR 64.6

560.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$0.87 PKR 242

56.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$0.59 PKR 164

305.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$1.15 PKR 320

47.83%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$1.23 PKR 340

133.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$6.30 PKR 1,745

57.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$2.53 PKR 701

326.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$5.19 PKR 1,439

183.82%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$1.12 PKR 309

265.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$0.59 PKR 163

166.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$0.74 PKR 205

187.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

$0.46 PKR 128

380.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

$0.31 PKR 86.8

561.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

$0.33 PKR 90.5

354.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

$0.33 PKR 90.4

260.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$0.38 PKR 104

205.26%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.77 PKR 492

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 PKR 283

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 PKR 765

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$1.91 PKR 530

104.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

$0.18 PKR 48.91

550.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

$8.63 PKR 2,393

800.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

$1.18 PKR 328

8.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

$0.77 PKR 213

171.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

$1.70 PKR 470

407.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

$1.13 PKR 313

15.04%

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

$19.3K PKR 5.4M

43.15%

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

$22.2K PKR 6.1M

60.16%

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

$176 COP 550.1K

$103 PKR 28.5K

71.11%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$3.60 PKR 998

271.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$13.74 PKR 3,810

117.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

$14.51 PKR 4,023

208.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$3.93 PKR 1,089

57.76%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$46.28 PKR 12.8K

1614.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$951 PKR 263.8K

847.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

$13.70 PKR 3,798

524.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

$19.12 PKR 5,302

205.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

$82.6 PKR 22.9K

65.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

$28.62 PKR 7,935

260.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$127 PKR 35.1K

737.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$66.6 PKR 18.5K

920.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$253 PKR 70.1K

695.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$162 PKR 44.9K

620.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

$901 PKR 249.8K

356.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$469 PKR 129.9K

263.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

12.88

-15.06%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Skardu: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $127 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $12.00 in Skardu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $93.0 – 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 293%, 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 $2,574 per month in Medellin and $656 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $12.00 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 $1,716 in Medellin and $437 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 $437, than in Medellin at $1,716. 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.