Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Swabi Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Swabi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $343 in Swabi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $532 in Swabi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $721 in Swabi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 195% more than Swabi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Swabi are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Swabi 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.3K

$2.91 PKR 809

105.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 116.9K

$14.42 PKR 4,011

127.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.2K

$2.78 PKR 774

155.04%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 478

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 PKR 498

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,093

$0.55 PKR 154

210.91%

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

$1.10 COP 3,910

$0.29 PKR 81.6

279.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,771

$0.13 PKR 36.91

500.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,976

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,892

$0.63 PKR 175

73.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,492

$0.31 PKR 85.3

306.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,905

$0.84 PKR 234

64.29%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,799

$1.04 PKR 289

110.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$6.34 PKR 1,763

-30.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.0K

$2.31 PKR 643

143.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.6K

$2.74 PKR 763

224.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,319

$0.56 PKR 155

317.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,764

$0.34 PKR 93.3

211.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,355

$0.51 PKR 142

194.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,906

$0.27 PKR 74.7

411.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,097

$0.17 PKR 47.00

576.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,141

$0.51 PKR 142

127.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,170

$0.31 PKR 85.3

187.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,986

$0.27 PKR 74.6

211.11%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.36 PKR 380

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 PKR 202

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 PKR 569

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,116

$2.17 PKR 605

5.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,268

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,793

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,045

$0.17 PKR 46.57

405.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

$6.88 PKR 1,914

501.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,245

$0.68 PKR 189

116.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,984

$0.16 PKR 43.74

1125.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.5K

$1.73 PKR 481

347.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,397

$0.96 PKR 266

-1.04%

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

$18.1K COP 64.5M

$10.8K PKR 3.0M

68.15%

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

$26.5K COP 94.2M

$12.5K PKR 3.5M

111.11%

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

$82.3 COP 292.7K

$52.5 PKR 14.6K

56.67%

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

$9.50 COP 33.8K

$3.57 PKR 994

166.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.2K

$18.94 PKR 5,269

27.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.1K

$12.49 PKR 3,474

107.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

$6.08 PKR 1,691

212.50%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.25 PKR 1,183

-7.53%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$17.75 PKR 4,939

1643.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.2M

$1,093 PKR 303.9K

446.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 208.7K

$3.48 PKR 969

1585.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.1K

$28.04 PKR 7,801

15.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.1K

$88.9 PKR 24.7K

15.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 385.8K

$39.54 PKR 11.0K

174.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$74.2 PKR 20.6K

541.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$51.6 PKR 14.3K

634.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$165 PKR 45.8K

409.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$105 PKR 29.2K

590.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$1,117 PKR 310.7K

149.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$520 PKR 144.5K

133.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$162 PKR 45.2K

214.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-10.47%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Swabi: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $74.2 in Swabi. 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 215% 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 Swabi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $70.0 – making Swabi 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 Swabi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 195%, 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 $515 in Swabi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Swabi, 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 Swabi. 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 $343 in Swabi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Swabi, where all-in costs run around $343, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Swabi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Swabi – 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 Swabi. 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.