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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $343 per month in Swabi vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $532 per month in Swabi vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $721 per month in Swabi vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Swabi is about 66% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Swabi and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Swabi 74% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.91 PKR 809

$5.99 COP 21.3K

-51.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.42 PKR 4,011

$32.86 COP 116.9K

-56.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.78 PKR 774

$7.09 COP 25.2K

-60.79%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 478

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 PKR 498

Cappuccino

$0.55 PKR 154

$1.71 COP 6,093

-67.84%

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

$0.29 PKR 81.6

$1.10 COP 3,910

-73.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 PKR 36.91

$0.78 COP 2,771

-83.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,976

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$0.63 PKR 175

$1.09 COP 3,892

-42.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.31 PKR 85.3

$1.26 COP 4,492

-75.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 234

$1.38 COP 4,905

-39.13%

Eggs

$1.04 PKR 289

$2.19 COP 7,799

-52.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.34 PKR 1,763

$4.40 COP 15.7K

44.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.31 PKR 643

$5.63 COP 20.0K

-58.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$2.74 PKR 763

$8.89 COP 31.6K

-69.18%

Apples (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 155

$2.34 COP 8,319

-76.07%

Banana (1kg)

$0.34 PKR 93.3

$1.06 COP 3,764

-67.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.51 PKR 142

$1.50 COP 5,355

-66.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.27 PKR 74.7

$1.38 COP 4,906

-80.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.17 PKR 47.00

$1.15 COP 4,097

-85.22%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 PKR 142

$1.16 COP 4,141

-56.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 85.3

$0.89 COP 3,170

-65.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.27 PKR 74.6

$0.84 COP 2,986

-67.86%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.36 PKR 380

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 PKR 202

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 PKR 569

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 PKR 605

$2.28 COP 8,116

-4.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,268

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,793

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 46.57

$0.86 COP 3,045

-80.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.88 PKR 1,914

$41.40 COP 147.3K

-83.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 PKR 189

$1.47 COP 5,245

-53.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.16 PKR 43.74

$1.96 COP 6,984

-91.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 PKR 481

$7.74 COP 27.5K

-77.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 266

$0.95 COP 3,397

1.05%

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

$10.8K PKR 3.0M

$18.1K COP 64.5M

-40.53%

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

$12.5K PKR 3.5M

$26.5K COP 94.2M

-52.63%

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

$52.5 PKR 14.6K

$82.3 COP 292.7K

-36.17%

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

$3.57 PKR 994

$9.50 COP 33.8K

-62.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.94 PKR 5,269

$24.23 COP 86.2K

-21.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.49 PKR 3,474

$25.89 COP 92.1K

-51.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.08 PKR 1,691

$19.00 COP 67.6K

-68.00%

Cinema Ticket

$4.25 PKR 1,183

$3.93 COP 14.0K

8.14%

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

$17.75 PKR 4,939

$309 COP 1.1M

-94.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,093 PKR 303.9K

$5,965 COP 21.2M

-81.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$3.48 PKR 969

$58.7 COP 208.7K

-94.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.04 PKR 7,801

$32.35 COP 115.1K

-13.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.9 PKR 24.7K

$103 COP 365.1K

-13.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.54 PKR 11.0K

$108 COP 385.8K

-63.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$74.2 PKR 20.6K

$476 COP 1.7M

-84.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$51.6 PKR 14.3K

$379 COP 1.3M

-86.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$165 PKR 45.8K

$838 COP 3.0M

-80.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$105 PKR 29.2K

$724 COP 2.6M

-85.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,117 PKR 310.7K

$2,791 COP 9.9M

-59.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$520 PKR 144.5K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-57.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$162 PKR 45.2K

$512 COP 1.8M

-68.25%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $74.2 in Swabi 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.

Salaries run about 215% 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 $188 – 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 195%, 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 $515 per month in Swabi 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 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 $343 in Swabi and $1,013 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 $343, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.