Cost of Living Comparison Between Swat and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Swat and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $425 per month in Swat vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $643 per month in Swat vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $862 per month in Swat vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Swat is about 58% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Swat and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Swat 68% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.75 PKR 766

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-53.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.36 PKR 3,993

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-56.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.25 PKR 1,458

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-27.39%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 PKR 481

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 PKR 1,073

Cappuccino

$2.05 PKR 571

$1.63 COP 5,687

25.77%

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

$0.43 PKR 120

$1.09 COP 3,821

-60.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 60.9

$0.73 COP 2,548

-69.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$0.68 PKR 190

$1.05 COP 3,662

-35.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.67 PKR 185

$1.29 COP 4,515

-48.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PKR 341

$1.32 COP 4,617

-6.82%

Eggs

$1.20 PKR 335

$2.27 COP 7,927

-47.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.02 PKR 1,674

$4.35 COP 15.2K

38.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.31 PKR 364

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-77.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$1.37 PKR 382

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-84.09%

Apples (1kg)

$0.90 PKR 251

$2.25 COP 7,844

-60.00%

Banana (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 100

$1.07 COP 3,733

-66.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 153

$1.52 COP 5,322

-63.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.40 PKR 111

$1.42 COP 4,964

-71.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 PKR 115

$1.17 COP 4,084

-64.96%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 152

$1.17 COP 4,077

-52.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 PKR 91.8

$0.89 COP 3,096

-62.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 PKR 105

$0.90 COP 3,146

-57.78%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.41 PKR 392

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 PKR 257

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 PKR 566

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.09 PKR 581

$2.25 COP 7,837

-7.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.15 PKR 42.96

$0.84 COP 2,916

-82.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.15 PKR 1,988

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-82.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 PKR 102

$1.41 COP 4,912

-73.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 PKR 122

$1.90 COP 6,634

-76.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 PKR 782

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-63.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 PKR 271

$1.01 COP 3,509

-2.97%

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

$21.1K PKR 5.9M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

20.01%

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

$26.6K PKR 7.4M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

0.36%

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

$113 PKR 31.4K

$83.7 COP 292.1K

34.82%

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

$5.36 PKR 1,490

$9.45 COP 33.0K

-43.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.50 PKR 3,476

$24.11 COP 84.1K

-48.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$6.15 PKR 1,710

$25.31 COP 88.3K

-75.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.04 PKR 1,681

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-68.44%

Cinema Ticket

$4.29 PKR 1,192

$4.10 COP 14.3K

4.63%

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

$19.38 PKR 5,389

$312 COP 1.1M

-93.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,120 PKR 311.4K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-81.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.60 PKR 6,006

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-62.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.19 PKR 7,838

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-13.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 PKR 24.9K

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-10.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.85 PKR 11.4K

$109 COP 378.8K

-62.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$75.1 PKR 20.9K

$482 COP 1.7M

-84.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$51.9 PKR 14.4K

$379 COP 1.3M

-86.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$167 PKR 46.5K

$837 COP 2.9M

-80.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$107 PKR 29.8K

$723 COP 2.5M

-85.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$965 PKR 268.4K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-66.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$445 PKR 123.7K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-63.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

13.43

50.41%

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

Last update for Swat: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $75.1 in Swat versus $482 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 $14.00 in Swat versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $71.0 vs $190 – making Swat 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

Swat vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 139%, 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 $637 per month in Swat and $1,525 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Swat, 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 Swat 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 $425 in Swat and $1,017 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 Swat, where all-in costs run around $425, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Swat it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Swat – 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 Swat. 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.