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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,589 per month in Medellin vs $419 in Wah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,364 per month in Medellin vs $631 in Wah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,139 per month in Medellin vs $843 in Wah, rent included.

Medellin costs about 280% more than Wah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Wah is 69% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.01 COP 25.8K

$1.81 PKR 502

342.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.55 COP 150.3K

$10.91 PKR 3,019

326.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 COP 30.5K

$5.51 PKR 1,526

71.14%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 PKR 707

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 PKR 614

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,398

$1.28 PKR 353

127.34%

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

$1.75 COP 5,657

$0.31 PKR 85.5

464.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 COP 4,273

$0.26 PKR 72.4

407.69%

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

$0.85 PKR 235

65.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 COP 7,878

$0.65 PKR 179

275.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 COP 5,258

$1.26 PKR 350

29.37%

Eggs

$2.82 COP 9,107

$1.19 PKR 330

136.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 COP 31.3K

$8.70 PKR 2,408

11.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.32 COP 30.1K

$2.65 PKR 733

251.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.46 COP 43.4K

$3.96 PKR 1,095

239.90%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 COP 12.9K

$1.09 PKR 302

266.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 COP 4,780

$0.65 PKR 181

127.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 COP 6,856

$0.57 PKR 158

271.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,271

$0.47 PKR 130

378.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 COP 6,171

$0.29 PKR 78.9

558.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 COP 5,228

$0.52 PKR 144

211.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,706

$0.53 PKR 147

116.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 COP 4,074

$0.40 PKR 110

215.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.56 PKR 155

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 PKR 155

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 PKR 189

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.82 COP 12.3K

$2.44 PKR 676

56.56%

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

$0.17 PKR 47.99

588.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.0 COP 242.1K

$9.99 PKR 2,764

650.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,108

$1.06 PKR 294

19.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,616

$1.11 PKR 307

84.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 COP 26.5K

$2.92 PKR 808

180.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 COP 4,098

$1.15 PKR 318

10.43%

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

$26.8K COP 86.4M

$23.3K PKR 6.4M

14.94%

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

$34.4K COP 111.1M

$22.9K PKR 6.3M

50.27%

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

$162 COP 523.6K

$66.3 PKR 18.3K

144.81%

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

$13.12 COP 42.4K

$5.43 PKR 1,504

141.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.09 COP 90.7K

$14.73 PKR 4,076

90.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.33 COP 143.1K

$14.62 PKR 4,047

203.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 COP 52.7K

$7.61 PKR 2,107

114.59%

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 COP 19.6K

$7.16 PKR 1,983

-14.94%

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

$764 COP 2.5M

$26.68 PKR 7,383

2764.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,904 COP 28.7M

$1,994 PKR 552.0K

346.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.0 COP 274.3K

$19.25 PKR 5,329

341.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 COP 185.6K

$26.87 PKR 7,437

113.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 COP 425.3K

$53.2 PKR 14.7K

147.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 COP 309.1K

$29.45 PKR 8,151

225.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 COP 3.3M

$127 PKR 35.2K

708.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 COP 2.0M

$78.3 PKR 21.7K

672.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,802 COP 5.8M

$250 PKR 69.1K

621.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$993 COP 3.2M

$152 PKR 42.0K

553.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,921 COP 12.7M

$924 PKR 255.7K

324.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,639 COP 5.3M

$509 PKR 140.9K

221.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

11.83

-7.52%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Last update for Wah: October 4, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,028 in Medellin versus $127 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 $47.00 in Medellin versus $11.00 in Wah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $99.0 – 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 280%, 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 $628 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 $47.00 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 $1,589 in Medellin and $419 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 $419, than in Medellin at $1,589. 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.