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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $376 in Swabi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $606 in Swabi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $837 in Swabi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 356% more than Swabi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Swabi is 73% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$3.69 PKR 1,024

117.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$22.59 PKR 6,264

113.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$2.83 PKR 786

245.23%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 PKR 1,009

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 PKR 492

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$0.57 PKR 157

410.53%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$0.28 PKR 77.5

592.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$0.13 PKR 36.56

1069.23%

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

$0.67 PKR 186

102.99%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$0.33 PKR 92.3

624.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$0.91 PKR 253

86.81%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$1.10 PKR 305

160.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$5.80 PKR 1,609

71.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$2.41 PKR 668

347.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$2.83 PKR 783

420.49%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$0.55 PKR 154

643.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$0.34 PKR 95.5

361.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$0.52 PKR 144

309.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

$0.30 PKR 84.1

636.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

$0.16 PKR 43.65

1181.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

$0.36 PKR 98.8

316.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

$0.27 PKR 74.2

340.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$0.30 PKR 84.4

286.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.75 PKR 485

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 PKR 195

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 PKR 656

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.27 PKR 630

71.81%

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

$0.17 PKR 46.93

588.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

$10.77 PKR 2,985

621.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

$0.71 PKR 196

80.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

$0.20 PKR 55.9

945.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

$1.59 PKR 441

442.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

$0.98 PKR 272

32.65%

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

$10.9K PKR 3.0M

152.97%

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

$12.7K PKR 3.5M

178.78%

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

$176 COP 550.1K

$54.5 PKR 15.1K

223.12%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$3.57 PKR 989

274.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$16.23 PKR 4,501

84.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

$14.76 PKR 4,091

203.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$4.97 PKR 1,378

24.75%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$17.75 PKR 4,922

4369.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$1,011 PKR 280.2K

792.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

$3.72 PKR 1,030

2201.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

$32.47 PKR 9,003

80.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

$83.5 PKR 23.1K

63.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

$40.20 PKR 11.1K

156.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$128 PKR 35.4K

730.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$75.8 PKR 21.0K

796.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$248 PKR 68.7K

712.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$147 PKR 40.6K

697.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

$983 PKR 272.5K

318.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$580 PKR 160.8K

193.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$160 PKR 44.3K

316.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

13.08

-16.36%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Swabi: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $128 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 317% 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 $23.00 in Swabi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 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 356%, 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 $564 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $23.00 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 $1,716 in Medellin and $376 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 $376, than in Medellin at $1,716. 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.