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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $338 in Wah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $530 in Wah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $721 in Wah, rent included.

Medellin costs about 204% more than Wah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Wah are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Wah 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$1.82 PKR 505

229.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$10.58 PKR 2,941

210.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$3.44 PKR 957

115.70%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 PKR 801

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 PKR 1,360

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$1.23 PKR 342

34.15%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$0.31 PKR 86.0

245.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$0.24 PKR 67.0

216.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$0.71 PKR 198

47.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$0.59 PKR 164

122.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$1.27 PKR 352

5.51%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$1.20 PKR 335

82.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$5.86 PKR 1,630

-24.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$2.65 PKR 737

114.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$3.30 PKR 917

158.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$0.98 PKR 273

138.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$0.55 PKR 154

101.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$0.66 PKR 184

130.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$0.52 PKR 145

163.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$0.38 PKR 105

202.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$0.52 PKR 144

126.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$0.64 PKR 178

31.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.39 PKR 109

120.51%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.97 PKR 269

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 PKR 202

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 PKR 545

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$1.83 PKR 510

23.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$0.18 PKR 50.3

338.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$7.00 PKR 1,945

483.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$1.04 PKR 290

41.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$0.44 PKR 122

336.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$1.81 PKR 504

329.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$0.92 PKR 255

9.78%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$21.9K PKR 6.1M

-19.43%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$21.4K PKR 6.0M

23.39%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$58.7 PKR 16.3K

38.23%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$3.90 PKR 1,085

141.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$12.73 PKR 3,538

87.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$12.55 PKR 3,488

107.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$5.88 PKR 1,634

218.20%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$3.61 PKR 1,005

13.30%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$28.74 PKR 7,990

994.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$1,131 PKR 314.3K

432.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$16.38 PKR 4,553

264.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$21.66 PKR 6,022

47.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$60.2 PKR 16.7K

68.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$26.19 PKR 7,282

301.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$75.7 PKR 21.0K

541.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$52.4 PKR 14.6K

596.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$165 PKR 45.9K

401.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$106 PKR 29.4K

591.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$865 PKR 240.6K

245.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$495 PKR 137.7K

165.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-25.39%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Wah: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $75.7 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $11.00 in Wah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $87.0 – 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 204%, 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 $1,542 per month in Medellin and $507 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 $33.00 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 $1,028 in Medellin and $338 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 $338, than in Medellin at $1,028. 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.