Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Wah Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Wah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $414 in Wah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $631 in Wah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $848 in Wah, rent included.

Medellin costs about 307% more than Wah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Wah is 70% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$1.75 PKR 486

350.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$10.99 PKR 3,047

305.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$5.38 PKR 1,491

72.68%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 PKR 678

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 PKR 611

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$1.25 PKR 346

132.00%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$0.33 PKR 91.7

448.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.26 PKR 72.7

496.15%

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

$0.84 PKR 234

64.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$0.60 PKR 167

308.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$1.23 PKR 340

22.76%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$1.23 PKR 341

126.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$8.92 PKR 2,474

1.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$2.49 PKR 692

327.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$3.98 PKR 1,104

267.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$1.04 PKR 289

281.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$0.62 PKR 171

122.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$0.54 PKR 150

325.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$0.51 PKR 140

296.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$0.31 PKR 86.6

574.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$0.48 PKR 134

239.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$0.54 PKR 149

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.39 PKR 109

220.51%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.57 PKR 157

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 PKR 154

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 PKR 205

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$2.42 PKR 671

66.53%

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 55.2

490.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

$9.71 PKR 2,691

723.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$1.06 PKR 294

51.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$1.06 PKR 295

100.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$2.80 PKR 776

204.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.16 PKR 321

16.38%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$23.4K PKR 6.5M

20.95%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$22.6K PKR 6.3M

57.72%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$66.6 PKR 18.5K

127.43%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$5.69 PKR 1,578

130.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$11.79 PKR 3,270

173.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$15.45 PKR 4,285

199.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$7.38 PKR 2,046

-12.87%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$26.24 PKR 7,275

3081.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$2,045 PKR 567.1K

334.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$18.57 PKR 5,151

381.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$26.74 PKR 7,416

106.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$54.6 PKR 15.1K

150.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$30.00 PKR 8,318

264.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$126 PKR 34.8K

658.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$65.1 PKR 18.0K

926.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$271 PKR 75.1K

646.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$167 PKR 46.3K

587.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$986 PKR 273.3K

274.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$528 PKR 146.4K

200.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

11.83

-11.83%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Wah: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Medellin versus $126 in Wah. 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 $11.00 in Wah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $98.0 – making Wah 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 Wah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 307%, 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 $622 in Wah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Wah, 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 $11.00 in Wah. 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 $414 in Wah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Wah, where all-in costs run around $414, than in Medellin at $1,687. In Wah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Wah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Wah. 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.