Cost of Living Comparison Between Swabi and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Swabi and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $345 per month in Swabi vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $541 per month in Swabi vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $737 per month in Swabi vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Swabi is about 67% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Swabi and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Swabi 74% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.87 PKR 796

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-53.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.34 PKR 3,981

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-56.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.77 PKR 770

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-62.26%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 PKR 503

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 PKR 500

Cappuccino

$0.55 PKR 153

$1.72 COP 5,599

-68.02%

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

$0.29 PKR 81.5

$1.05 COP 3,420

-72.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 PKR 42.78

$0.77 COP 2,515

-80.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$0.61 PKR 170

$1.05 COP 3,423

-41.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.31 PKR 85.4

$1.30 COP 4,236

-76.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 PKR 237

$1.40 COP 4,544

-39.29%

Eggs

$1.08 PKR 301

$2.16 COP 7,046

-50.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.28 PKR 1,744

$4.39 COP 14.3K

43.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.34 PKR 648

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-60.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$2.71 PKR 754

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-68.63%

Apples (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 154

$2.28 COP 7,425

-75.88%

Banana (1kg)

$0.34 PKR 93.9

$1.11 COP 3,603

-69.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.50 PKR 140

$1.53 COP 4,982

-67.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.29 PKR 81.4

$1.35 COP 4,410

-78.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.19 PKR 54.1

$1.13 COP 3,674

-83.19%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 143

$1.13 COP 3,692

-53.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 PKR 93.1

$0.85 COP 2,753

-60.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 PKR 81.1

$0.91 COP 2,975

-68.13%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.47 PKR 409

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 PKR 192

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 PKR 558

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.08 PKR 578

$2.34 COP 7,629

-11.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 45.58

$0.84 COP 2,727

-80.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.25 PKR 2,013

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-82.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 PKR 188

$1.42 COP 4,623

-52.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 PKR 57.2

$1.92 COP 6,235

-89.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.74 PKR 483

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-77.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 PKR 251

$0.99 COP 3,223

-9.09%

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

$10.7K PKR 3.0M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

-40.79%

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

$12.2K PKR 3.4M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-54.05%

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

$54.1 PKR 15.0K

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-33.04%

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

$3.62 PKR 1,004

$9.95 COP 32.4K

-63.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.35 PKR 5,096

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-24.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.58 PKR 3,494

$25.08 COP 81.6K

-49.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.00 PKR 1,665

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-68.67%

Cinema Ticket

$4.14 PKR 1,149

$3.98 COP 13.0K

4.02%

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

$17.34 PKR 4,814

$305 COP 993.4K

-94.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,097 PKR 304.7K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-81.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$3.57 PKR 990

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-93.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.82 PKR 7,726

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-13.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.7 PKR 24.4K

$101 COP 327.9K

-12.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.25 PKR 11.2K

$108 COP 350.8K

-62.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$76.6 PKR 21.3K

$477 COP 1.6M

-83.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$52.7 PKR 14.6K

$376 COP 1.2M

-85.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$164 PKR 45.6K

$845 COP 2.7M

-80.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 PKR 30.0K

$730 COP 2.4M

-85.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$967 PKR 268.6K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-69.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$511 PKR 141.8K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-62.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$162 PKR 44.9K

$617 COP 2.0M

-73.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.69%

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

Last update for Swabi: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $76.6 in Swabi versus $477 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 281% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Swabi versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $70.0 vs $193 – making Swabi 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

Swabi vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 199%, 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 $517 per month in Swabi and $1,546 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Swabi, 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 $14.00 in Swabi 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 $345 in Swabi and $1,031 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Swabi, where all-in costs run around $345, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Swabi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Swabi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Swabi. 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.