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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,589 per month in Medellin vs $468 in Swat, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,364 per month in Medellin vs $726 in Swat, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,139 per month in Medellin vs $984 in Swat, rent included.

Medellin costs about 240% more than Swat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Swat is 65% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.01 COP 25.8K

$3.67 PKR 1,015

118.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.55 COP 150.3K

$23.36 PKR 6,465

99.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 COP 30.5K

$3.60 PKR 995

161.94%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 PKR 986

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 PKR 1,951

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,398

$2.62 PKR 726

11.07%

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

$1.75 COP 5,657

$0.32 PKR 89.7

446.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 COP 4,273

$0.21 PKR 58.0

528.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 COP 10.1K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 COP 17.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 COP 4,553

$0.98 PKR 270

43.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 COP 7,878

$0.42 PKR 116

480.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 COP 5,258

$1.30 PKR 359

25.38%

Eggs

$2.82 COP 9,107

$1.26 PKR 349

123.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 COP 31.3K

$5.97 PKR 1,653

62.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.32 COP 30.1K

$3.28 PKR 907

184.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.46 COP 43.4K

$5.48 PKR 1,516

145.62%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 COP 12.9K

$1.29 PKR 358

210.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 COP 4,780

$0.81 PKR 223

82.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 COP 6,856

$1.04 PKR 288

103.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,271

$0.55 PKR 153

309.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 COP 6,171

$0.28 PKR 77.6

582.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 COP 5,228

$0.38 PKR 106

326.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,706

$0.28 PKR 76.9

310.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 COP 4,074

$0.38 PKR 106

231.58%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.80 PKR 499

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 PKR 341

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 PKR 643

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.82 COP 12.3K

$2.35 PKR 649

62.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 COP 42.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 5,149

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,282

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,779

$0.18 PKR 48.66

550.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.0 COP 242.1K

$10.79 PKR 2,986

595.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,108

$1.28 PKR 355

-0.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,616

$0.71 PKR 196

188.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 COP 26.5K

$1.64 PKR 454

400.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 COP 4,098

$1.32 PKR 365

-3.79%

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

$26.8K COP 86.4M

$21.8K PKR 6.0M

22.77%

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

$34.4K COP 111.1M

$24.1K PKR 6.7M

42.98%

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

$162 COP 523.6K

$104 PKR 28.7K

56.27%

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

$13.12 COP 42.4K

$5.28 PKR 1,462

148.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.09 COP 90.7K

$16.25 PKR 4,498

72.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.33 COP 143.1K

$14.86 PKR 4,113

198.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 COP 52.7K

$8.50 PKR 2,352

92.12%

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 COP 19.6K

$4.25 PKR 1,176

43.29%

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

$764 COP 2.5M

$43.27 PKR 12.0K

1666.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,904 COP 28.7M

$1,057 PKR 292.6K

742.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.0 COP 274.3K

$24.78 PKR 6,859

242.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 COP 185.6K

$34.29 PKR 9,491

67.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 COP 425.3K

$25.41 PKR 7,032

418.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 COP 309.1K

$40.40 PKR 11.2K

137.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 COP 3.3M

$124 PKR 34.3K

729.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 COP 2.0M

$76.6 PKR 21.2K

689.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,802 COP 5.8M

$274 PKR 75.9K

556.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$993 COP 3.2M

$170 PKR 47.1K

483.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,921 COP 12.7M

$911 PKR 252.3K

330.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,639 COP 5.3M

$540 PKR 149.5K

203.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 COP 2.0M

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: October 6, 2026

Last update for Swat: October 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,028 in Medellin versus $124 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 $47.00 in Medellin versus $23.00 in Swat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $100 – 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 240%, 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 $2,384 per month in Medellin and $702 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 $47.00 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 $1,589 in Medellin and $468 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 $468, than in Medellin at $1,589. 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.