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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $425 in Swat, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $643 in Swat, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $862 in Swat, rent included.

Medellin costs about 139% more than Swat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Swat are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Swat 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$2.75 PKR 766

116.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$14.36 PKR 3,993

132.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$5.25 PKR 1,458

37.71%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 PKR 481

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 PKR 1,073

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.05 PKR 571

-20.49%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.43 PKR 120

153.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.22 PKR 60.9

231.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.68 PKR 190

54.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.67 PKR 185

92.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.23 PKR 341

7.32%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.20 PKR 335

89.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$6.02 PKR 1,674

-27.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$1.31 PKR 364

348.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$1.37 PKR 382

528.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$0.90 PKR 251

150.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$0.36 PKR 100

197.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$0.55 PKR 153

176.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.40 PKR 111

255.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.41 PKR 115

185.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.55 PKR 152

112.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.33 PKR 91.8

169.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.38 PKR 105

136.84%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.41 PKR 392

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 PKR 257

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 PKR 566

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.09 PKR 581

7.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.15 PKR 42.96

460.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$7.15 PKR 1,988

486.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.37 PKR 102

281.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.44 PKR 122

331.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$2.81 PKR 782

175.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.98 PKR 271

3.06%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$21.1K PKR 5.9M

-16.67%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$26.6K PKR 7.4M

-0.36%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$113 PKR 31.4K

-25.83%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$5.36 PKR 1,490

76.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$12.50 PKR 3,476

92.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$6.15 PKR 1,710

311.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$6.04 PKR 1,681

216.89%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$4.29 PKR 1,192

-4.43%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$19.38 PKR 5,389

1509.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$1,120 PKR 311.4K

435.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$21.60 PKR 6,006

168.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$28.19 PKR 7,838

15.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$89.5 PKR 24.9K

11.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$40.85 PKR 11.4K

165.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$75.1 PKR 20.9K

542.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$51.9 PKR 14.4K

630.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$167 PKR 46.5K

400.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$107 PKR 29.8K

573.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$965 PKR 268.4K

194.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$445 PKR 123.7K

174.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

20.2

-33.51%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Swat: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $75.1 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $14.00 in Swat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $71.0 – 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 139%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $637 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $14.00 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $425 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 $425, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.