Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Swat Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Swat

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $438 in Swat, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $667 in Swat, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $896 in Swat, rent included.

Medellin costs about 285% more than Swat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Swat is 68% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$3.66 PKR 1,014

115.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$22.55 PKR 6,252

97.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$3.59 PKR 995

158.77%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 PKR 973

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 PKR 1,883

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$2.39 PKR 664

21.34%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$0.35 PKR 98.1

417.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.22 PKR 60.8

604.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$0.98 PKR 272

40.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$0.41 PKR 114

497.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$1.22 PKR 337

23.77%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$1.21 PKR 335

129.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$5.89 PKR 1,635

53.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$1.41 PKR 390

655.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$1.40 PKR 388

945.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$1.06 PKR 295

274.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$0.83 PKR 231

66.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$0.56 PKR 155

310.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$0.47 PKR 130

329.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$0.27 PKR 74.1

674.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$0.33 PKR 92.4

393.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$0.27 PKR 74.8

300.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.41 PKR 113

204.88%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.81 PKR 502

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 PKR 384

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 PKR 665

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$2.41 PKR 668

67.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$0.20 PKR 56.6

490.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

$10.07 PKR 2,791

693.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$1.18 PKR 328

36.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$0.75 PKR 208

184.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$1.82 PKR 504

368.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.02 PKR 283

32.35%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$21.4K PKR 5.9M

32.35%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$24.5K PKR 6.8M

45.55%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$102 PKR 28.4K

47.70%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$5.58 PKR 1,548

134.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$15.94 PKR 4,421

102.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$10.70 PKR 2,967

332.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$4.94 PKR 1,369

30.16%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$43.22 PKR 12.0K

1831.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$1,001 PKR 277.7K

787.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$23.80 PKR 6,600

275.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$32.53 PKR 9,020

70.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$24.84 PKR 6,888

449.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$39.49 PKR 11.0K

176.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$121 PKR 33.6K

684.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$72.6 PKR 20.1K

819.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$263 PKR 72.8K

669.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$165 PKR 45.7K

596.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$871 PKR 241.4K

324.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$554 PKR 153.7K

186.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

13.08

-20.26%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Swat: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Medellin versus $121 in Swat. 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 $45.00 in Medellin versus $23.00 in Swat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $75.0 – making Swat 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 Swat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 285%, 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 $2,530 per month in Medellin and $657 in Swat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Swat, 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 $45.00 in Medellin and $23.00 in Swat. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,687 in Medellin and $438 in Swat. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Swat, where all-in costs run around $438, than in Medellin at $1,687. In Swat it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Swat – 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 Swat. 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.