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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $437 per month in Skardu vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $661 per month in Skardu vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $885 per month in Skardu vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Skardu is about 75% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Skardu sits 68% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.38 PKR 660

$8.03 COP 25.1K

-70.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.05 PKR 3,341

$48.26 COP 150.8K

-75.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.76 PKR 1,319

$9.77 COP 30.5K

-51.28%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.81 PKR 778

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 PKR 1,403

Cappuccino

$1.44 PKR 399

$2.91 COP 9,095

-50.52%

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

$0.39 PKR 107

$1.94 COP 6,074

-79.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.6

$1.52 COP 4,754

-84.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 PKR 242

$1.36 COP 4,262

-36.03%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 PKR 164

$2.39 COP 7,460

-75.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 PKR 320

$1.70 COP 5,314

-32.35%

Eggs

$1.23 PKR 340

$2.87 COP 8,967

-57.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.30 PKR 1,745

$9.94 COP 31.1K

-36.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.53 PKR 701

$10.78 COP 33.7K

-76.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.19 PKR 1,439

$14.73 COP 46.0K

-64.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.12 PKR 309

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-72.62%

Banana (1kg)

$0.59 PKR 163

$1.57 COP 4,911

-62.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.74 PKR 205

$2.13 COP 6,642

-65.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.46 PKR 128

$2.21 COP 6,917

-79.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.31 PKR 86.8

$2.05 COP 6,396

-84.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 90.5

$1.50 COP 4,700

-78.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 PKR 90.4

$1.19 COP 3,718

-72.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 PKR 104

$1.16 COP 3,619

-67.24%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.77 PKR 492

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 PKR 283

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 PKR 765

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.91 PKR 530

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-51.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 48.91

$1.17 COP 3,650

-84.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.63 PKR 2,393

$77.7 COP 242.9K

-88.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 PKR 328

$1.28 COP 4,014

-7.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 PKR 213

$2.09 COP 6,537

-63.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.70 PKR 470

$8.62 COP 26.9K

-80.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 PKR 313

$1.30 COP 4,056

-13.08%

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

$19.3K PKR 5.4M

$27.7K COP 86.4M

-30.14%

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

$22.2K PKR 6.1M

$35.5K COP 110.9M

-37.56%

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

$103 PKR 28.5K

$176 COP 550.1K

-41.56%

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

$3.60 PKR 998

$13.37 COP 41.8K

-73.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.74 PKR 3,810

$29.89 COP 93.4K

-54.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.51 PKR 4,023

$44.76 COP 139.8K

-67.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 PKR 1,089

$6.20 COP 19.4K

-36.61%

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

$46.28 PKR 12.8K

$793 COP 2.5M

-94.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$951 PKR 263.8K

$9,019 COP 28.2M

-89.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.70 PKR 3,798

$85.6 COP 267.5K

-84.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.12 PKR 5,302

$58.5 COP 182.7K

-67.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.6 PKR 22.9K

$136 COP 425.9K

-39.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.62 PKR 7,935

$103 COP 322.2K

-72.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$127 PKR 35.1K

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-88.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$66.6 PKR 18.5K

$680 COP 2.1M

-90.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$253 PKR 70.1K

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-87.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$162 PKR 44.9K

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-86.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$901 PKR 249.8K

$4,111 COP 12.8M

-78.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$469 PKR 129.9K

$1,701 COP 5.3M

-72.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.88

10.94

17.73%

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

Last update for Skardu: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $127 in Skardu versus $1,060 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 $12.00 in Skardu versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $93.0 vs $303 – 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 293%, 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 $656 per month in Skardu and $2,574 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 $12.00 in Skardu and $48.00 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 $437 in Skardu and $1,716 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 $437, than in Medellin at $1,716. 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.