Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Swabi and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Swabi: $522 a month against $1,614 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $13,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Swabi
🇵🇰 Pakistan
$522
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,614
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Swabi and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Swabi and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $522 per month in Swabi vs $1,614 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Swabi $522
  • Medellin $1,614

A couple spends around $796 per month in Swabi vs $2,402 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Swabi $796
  • Medellin $2,402

A family of three spends $1,070 per month in Swabi vs $3,190 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Swabi $1,070
  • Medellin $3,190

Swabi is about 68% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Swabi sits 61% below the global median, while Medellin is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Swabi
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.57 PKR 988
$7.93 COP 25.2K
-54.98%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.34 PKR 6,459
$46.13 COP 146.3K
-49.40%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.33 PKR 1,474
$9.50 COP 30.1K
-43.89%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.71 PKR 1,028
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.89 PKR 1,908
-
-
Cappuccino
$2.68 PKR 743
$3.11 COP 9,866
-13.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36 PKR 98.3
$1.83 COP 5,800
-80.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.21 PKR 58.1
$1.38 COP 4,360
-84.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.05 COP 9,672
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$5.50 COP 17.4K
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Swabi
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.97 PKR 269
$1.45 COP 4,600
-33.10%
White Bread (500g)
$0.72 PKR 199
$2.36 COP 7,496
-69.49%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.31 PKR 362
$1.68 COP 5,328
-22.02%
Eggs
$1.21 PKR 335
$2.86 COP 9,077
-57.69%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.06 PKR 1,677
$10.19 COP 32.3K
-40.53%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.16 PKR 874
$9.53 COP 30.2K
-66.84%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.29 PKR 1,463
$14.04 COP 44.5K
-62.32%
Apples (1kg)
$1.33 PKR 369
$4.07 COP 12.9K
-67.32%
Banana (1kg)
$0.87 PKR 242
$1.50 COP 4,742
-42.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.06 PKR 294
$2.17 COP 6,891
-51.15%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.52 PKR 144
$2.31 COP 7,310
-77.49%
Potato (1kg)
$0.29 PKR 81.2
$1.93 COP 6,113
-84.97%
Onion (1kg)
$0.35 PKR 97.9
$1.64 COP 5,196
-78.66%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.28 PKR 77.0
$1.13 COP 3,571
-75.22%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.39 PKR 109
$1.25 COP 3,954
-68.80%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$1.79 PKR 497
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 PKR 333
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.33 PKR 646
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.37 PKR 656
$3.99 COP 12.6K
-40.60%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$13.35 COP 42.3K
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.70 COP 5,384
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.37 COP 7,525
-
🚌 Getting Around
Swabi
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.18 PKR 49.49
$1.21 COP 3,827
-85.12%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$9.78 PKR 2,707
$76.5 COP 242.5K
-87.21%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.23 PKR 342
$1.32 COP 4,179
-6.82%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.74 PKR 205
$2.14 COP 6,774
-65.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.65 PKR 456
$8.47 COP 26.8K
-80.52%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.33 PKR 369
$1.30 COP 4,114
2.31%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6K PKR 6.0M
$28.0K COP 88.7M
-22.90%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.0K PKR 6.6M
$35.4K COP 112.3M
-32.20%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Swabi
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$104 PKR 28.8K
$172 COP 545.6K
-39.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.08 PKR 1,682
$13.37 COP 42.4K
-54.53%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.31 PKR 4,791
$28.73 COP 91.1K
-39.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Swabi
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$13.38 PKR 3,704
$45.24 COP 143.5K
-70.42%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$9.00 PKR 2,491
$17.04 COP 54.0K
-47.18%
Cinema Ticket
$4.23 PKR 1,171
$6.28 COP 19.9K
-32.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Swabi
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$74.5 PKR 20.6K
$770 COP 2.4M
-90.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,031 PKR 285.4K
$9,011 COP 28.6M
-88.56%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Swabi
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$26.58 PKR 7,356
$86.4 COP 274.0K
-69.24%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.97 PKR 9,679
$57.1 COP 181.1K
-38.79%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$97.9 PKR 27.1K
$137 COP 432.9K
-28.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$41.24 PKR 11.4K
$97.9 COP 310.4K
-57.88%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Swabi
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$131 PKR 36.2K
$1,055 COP 3.3M
-87.61%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$85.5 PKR 23.7K
$616 COP 2.0M
-86.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$240 PKR 66.4K
$1,892 COP 6.0M
-87.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$127 PKR 35.1K
$1,023 COP 3.2M
-87.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$949 PKR 262.7K
$4,059 COP 12.9M
-76.62%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$514 PKR 142.4K
$1,678 COP 5.3M
-69.35%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Swabi
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$652 COP 2.1M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.08
10.94
19.56%

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

Last update for Swabi: October 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Swabi
$127
Medellin
$214 68.3% $87
Groceries & Markets
Swabi
$103
Medellin
$295 186% $192
Clothing & Footwear
Swabi
$90
Medellin
$170 88.3% $80
Accommodation & Living
Swabi
$85
Medellin
$616 620% $530
Eating Out
Swabi
$79
Medellin
$168 113% $89
Sport & Entertainment
Swabi
$22
Medellin
$58 165% $36
Getting Around
Swabi
$15
Medellin
$93 505% $78

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $131 in Swabi versus $1,055 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 $23.00 in Swabi versus $46.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $103 vs $295 – making Swabi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇰 Swabi
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
13:42 1:42 PM
03:42 3:42 AM
10 h behind Swabi
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
123,412
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to PKR – Pakistani Rupee Converter

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD). 1 EUR = 311 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Swabi Medellin 14,410 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Swabi
  • Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Medellin cheaper than Swabi?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 209%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $784 per month in Swabi and $2,421 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Is eating out cheaper in Swabi or in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Swabi and $46.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Swabi and in Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $522 in Swabi and $1,614 in Medellin. That's a gap of about 209%.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Swabi or in Medellin?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Swabi, where all-in costs run around $522, than in Medellin at $1,614. In Swabi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Swabi or Medellin more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.

Swabi vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?