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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $345 in Swabi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $541 in Swabi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $737 in Swabi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 199% more than Swabi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Swabi are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Swabi 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$2.87 PKR 796

114.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$14.34 PKR 3,981

127.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$2.77 PKR 770

164.98%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 PKR 503

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 PKR 500

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$0.55 PKR 153

212.73%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.29 PKR 81.5

262.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.15 PKR 42.78

413.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.61 PKR 170

72.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.31 PKR 85.4

319.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.85 PKR 237

64.71%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.08 PKR 301

100.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$6.28 PKR 1,744

-30.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$2.34 PKR 648

151.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$2.71 PKR 754

218.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$0.55 PKR 154

314.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$0.34 PKR 93.9

226.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$0.50 PKR 140

206.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.29 PKR 81.4

365.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.19 PKR 54.1

494.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.52 PKR 143

117.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.34 PKR 93.1

150.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.29 PKR 81.1

213.79%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.47 PKR 409

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 PKR 192

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 PKR 558

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.08 PKR 578

12.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.16 PKR 45.58

425.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$7.25 PKR 2,013

459.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.68 PKR 188

108.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.21 PKR 57.2

814.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$1.74 PKR 483

340.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.90 PKR 251

10.00%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$10.7K PKR 3.0M

68.89%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$12.2K PKR 3.4M

117.61%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$54.1 PKR 15.0K

49.34%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$3.62 PKR 1,004

174.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$18.35 PKR 5,096

31.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$12.58 PKR 3,494

99.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$6.00 PKR 1,665

219.17%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.14 PKR 1,149

-3.86%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$17.34 PKR 4,814

1659.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$1,097 PKR 304.7K

452.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$3.57 PKR 990

1528.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$27.82 PKR 7,726

15.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$87.7 PKR 24.4K

14.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$40.25 PKR 11.2K

167.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$76.6 PKR 21.3K

522.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$52.7 PKR 14.6K

613.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$164 PKR 45.6K

414.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$108 PKR 30.0K

576.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$967 PKR 268.6K

232.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$511 PKR 141.8K

168.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$162 PKR 44.9K

281.38%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Swabi: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $76.6 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 281% 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: $193 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 199%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $517 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $345 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 $345, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.