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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $377 per month in Skardu vs $1,018 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $576 per month in Skardu vs $1,609 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $775 per month in Skardu vs $2,200 in Medellin, rent included.

Skardu is about 63% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Skardu and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Skardu 72% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.79 PKR 497

$5.93 COP 19.1K

-69.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.50 PKR 2,916

$33.12 COP 106.4K

-68.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.14 PKR 1,149

$7.12 COP 22.9K

-41.85%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 PKR 479

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 PKR 998

Cappuccino

$0.42 PKR 117

$1.71 COP 5,480

-75.44%

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

$0.34 PKR 94.9

$1.05 COP 3,370

-67.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 63.9

$0.72 COP 2,321

-68.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,524

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

Milk (1 liter)

$0.77 PKR 215

$1.06 COP 3,422

-27.36%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 PKR 155

$1.31 COP 4,209

-57.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 PKR 336

$1.33 COP 4,273

-9.02%

Eggs

$1.17 PKR 324

$2.28 COP 7,328

-48.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.00 PKR 1,665

$4.42 COP 14.2K

35.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.60 PKR 721

$5.92 COP 19.0K

-56.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.71 PKR 1,031

$8.64 COP 27.8K

-57.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.05 PKR 290

$2.34 COP 7,535

-55.13%

Banana (1kg)

$0.66 PKR 183

$1.10 COP 3,541

-40.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.67 PKR 186

$1.47 COP 4,718

-54.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 135

$1.38 COP 4,433

-64.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 95.9

$1.17 COP 3,769

-70.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 PKR 140

$1.17 COP 3,760

-57.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 85.6

$0.90 COP 2,902

-65.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 PKR 100

$0.84 COP 2,704

-57.14%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.55 PKR 429

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PKR 259

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 PKR 560

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.98 PKR 550

$2.33 COP 7,480

-15.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,688

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,780

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 56.5

$0.84 COP 2,698

-76.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.10 PKR 1,972

$40.83 COP 131.2K

-82.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 PKR 233

$1.41 COP 4,535

-40.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 PKR 111

$1.91 COP 6,152

-79.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.78 PKR 495

$7.83 COP 25.1K

-77.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 265

$0.94 COP 3,033

2.13%

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

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

$17.8K COP 57.3M

20.47%

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

$22.7K PKR 6.3M

$27.1K COP 87.0M

-16.25%

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

$102 PKR 28.3K

$83.3 COP 267.5K

22.51%

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

$7.09 PKR 1,969

$9.66 COP 31.0K

-26.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.40 PKR 3,165

$24.22 COP 77.8K

-52.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.46 PKR 3,458

$25.22 COP 81.1K

-50.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.02 PKR 1,670

$19.33 COP 62.1K

-68.86%

Cinema Ticket

$3.62 PKR 1,006

$4.07 COP 13.1K

-11.06%

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

$29.27 PKR 8,128

$307 COP 985.2K

-90.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,105 PKR 306.7K

$5,981 COP 19.2M

-81.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.31 PKR 4,250

$60.0 COP 192.6K

-74.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.94 PKR 6,091

$32.65 COP 104.9K

-32.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.7 PKR 19.1K

$101 COP 324.8K

-32.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.93 PKR 8,033

$108 COP 347.2K

-73.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$73.9 PKR 20.5K

$476 COP 1.5M

-84.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$52.7 PKR 14.6K

$379 COP 1.2M

-86.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$168 PKR 46.7K

$816 COP 2.6M

-79.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 PKR 29.9K

$707 COP 2.3M

-84.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$974 PKR 270.5K

$3,190 COP 10.2M

-69.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$484 PKR 134.2K

$1,446 COP 4.6M

-66.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $73.9 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: $87.0 vs $192 – 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 170%, 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 $566 per month in Skardu and $1,527 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 $377 in Skardu and $1,018 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 $377, than in Medellin at $1,018. 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.