Cost of Living Comparison Between Skardu and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Skardu and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $382 per month in Skardu vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $573 per month in Skardu vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $765 per month in Skardu vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Skardu is about 62% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Skardu and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Skardu 71% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.75 PKR 488

$5.99 COP 21.5K

-70.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.62 PKR 2,956

$32.86 COP 118.1K

-67.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.11 PKR 1,144

$7.09 COP 25.5K

-42.03%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 PKR 500

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 PKR 1,001

Cappuccino

$0.46 PKR 128

$1.71 COP 6,155

-73.10%

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

$0.35 PKR 96.2

$1.10 COP 3,950

-68.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.1

$0.78 COP 2,799

-70.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 6,037

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 PKR 202

$1.09 COP 3,931

-33.03%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 PKR 167

$1.26 COP 4,537

-52.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 PKR 338

$1.38 COP 4,955

-12.32%

Eggs

$1.12 PKR 312

$2.19 COP 7,878

-48.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.15 PKR 1,710

$4.40 COP 15.8K

39.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.55 PKR 710

$5.63 COP 20.2K

-54.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.63 PKR 1,011

$8.89 COP 32.0K

-59.17%

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 PKR 289

$2.34 COP 8,403

-55.56%

Banana (1kg)

$0.66 PKR 183

$1.06 COP 3,802

-37.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.61 PKR 170

$1.50 COP 5,409

-59.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 136

$1.38 COP 4,956

-64.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.37 PKR 104

$1.15 COP 4,138

-67.83%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 PKR 131

$1.16 COP 4,183

-59.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 86.2

$0.89 COP 3,203

-65.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 PKR 100

$0.84 COP 3,016

-57.14%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.36 PKR 378

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 PKR 241

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 PKR 568

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.90 PKR 528

$2.28 COP 8,198

-16.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,312

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,882

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 PKR 54.3

$0.86 COP 3,076

-77.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.91 PKR 1,923

$41.40 COP 148.8K

-83.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 PKR 250

$1.47 COP 5,298

-38.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 PKR 114

$1.96 COP 7,055

-79.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.75 PKR 486

$7.74 COP 27.8K

-77.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 PKR 273

$0.95 COP 3,431

3.16%

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

$21.2K PKR 5.9M

$18.1K COP 65.2M

17.12%

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

$22.8K PKR 6.4M

$26.5K COP 95.2M

-13.81%

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

$102 PKR 28.4K

$82.3 COP 295.7K

24.12%

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

$7.18 PKR 1,999

$9.50 COP 34.2K

-24.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.13 PKR 3,096

$24.23 COP 87.1K

-54.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.57 PKR 3,498

$25.89 COP 93.0K

-51.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.83 PKR 1,624

$19.00 COP 68.3K

-69.32%

Cinema Ticket

$3.61 PKR 1,006

$3.93 COP 14.1K

-8.14%

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

$29.43 PKR 8,188

$309 COP 1.1M

-90.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,094 PKR 304.5K

$5,965 COP 21.4M

-81.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.31 PKR 4,259

$58.7 COP 210.8K

-73.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.03 PKR 6,131

$32.35 COP 116.3K

-31.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.1 PKR 19.2K

$103 COP 368.8K

-32.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.47 PKR 8,200

$108 COP 389.7K

-72.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$74.0 PKR 20.6K

$476 COP 1.7M

-84.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$52.2 PKR 14.5K

$379 COP 1.4M

-86.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$167 PKR 46.5K

$838 COP 3.0M

-80.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 PKR 30.0K

$724 COP 2.6M

-85.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$917 PKR 255.1K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-67.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$567 PKR 157.9K

$1,211 COP 4.4M

-53.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

41.47%

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

Last update for Skardu: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $74.0 in Skardu versus $476 in Medellin. 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 $11.00 in Skardu versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $86.0 vs $188 – making Skardu 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

Skardu vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 165%, 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 $573 per month in Skardu and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Skardu, 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 $11.00 in Skardu and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $382 in Skardu and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Skardu, where all-in costs run around $382, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Skardu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Skardu – 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 Skardu. 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.