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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $438 per month in Swat vs $1,687 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $667 per month in Swat vs $2,535 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $896 per month in Swat vs $3,383 in Medellin, rent included.

Swat is about 74% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Swat sits 68% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.66 PKR 1,014

$7.89 COP 24.2K

-53.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.55 PKR 6,252

$44.53 COP 136.5K

-49.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.59 PKR 995

$9.29 COP 28.5K

-61.36%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 PKR 973

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 PKR 1,883

Cappuccino

$2.39 PKR 664

$2.90 COP 8,874

-17.59%

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

$0.35 PKR 98.1

$1.81 COP 5,541

-80.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 60.8

$1.55 COP 4,741

-85.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 PKR 272

$1.38 COP 4,230

-28.99%

White Bread (500g)

$0.41 PKR 114

$2.45 COP 7,517

-83.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 PKR 337

$1.51 COP 4,617

-19.21%

Eggs

$1.21 PKR 335

$2.78 COP 8,516

-56.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.89 PKR 1,635

$9.05 COP 27.7K

-34.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.41 PKR 390

$10.65 COP 32.6K

-86.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$1.40 PKR 388

$14.63 COP 44.8K

-90.43%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 PKR 295

$3.97 COP 12.2K

-73.30%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 PKR 231

$1.38 COP 4,219

-39.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 155

$2.30 COP 7,056

-75.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 PKR 130

$2.02 COP 6,185

-76.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.27 PKR 74.1

$2.09 COP 6,390

-87.08%

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 92.4

$1.63 COP 4,996

-79.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.27 PKR 74.8

$1.08 COP 3,313

-75.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 PKR 113

$1.25 COP 3,843

-67.20%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.81 PKR 502

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 PKR 384

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 PKR 665

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.41 PKR 668

$4.03 COP 12.4K

-40.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 56.6

$1.18 COP 3,611

-83.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.07 PKR 2,791

$79.9 COP 244.9K

-87.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 PKR 328

$1.61 COP 4,920

-26.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 PKR 208

$2.13 COP 6,533

-64.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.82 PKR 504

$8.52 COP 26.1K

-78.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 PKR 283

$1.35 COP 4,142

-24.44%

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

$21.4K PKR 5.9M

$28.3K COP 86.8M

-24.44%

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

$24.5K PKR 6.8M

$35.7K COP 109.4M

-31.29%

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

$102 PKR 28.4K

$151 COP 463.8K

-32.30%

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

$5.58 PKR 1,548

$13.10 COP 40.1K

-57.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.94 PKR 4,421

$32.30 COP 99.0K

-50.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.70 PKR 2,967

$46.33 COP 141.9K

-76.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$4.94 PKR 1,369

$6.43 COP 19.7K

-23.17%

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

$43.22 PKR 12.0K

$835 COP 2.6M

-94.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,001 PKR 277.7K

$8,887 COP 27.2M

-88.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.80 PKR 6,600

$89.3 COP 273.7K

-73.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.53 PKR 9,020

$55.3 COP 169.5K

-41.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$24.84 PKR 6,888

$137 COP 418.5K

-81.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.49 PKR 11.0K

$109 COP 335.1K

-63.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$121 PKR 33.6K

$952 COP 2.9M

-87.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$72.6 PKR 20.1K

$668 COP 2.0M

-89.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$263 PKR 72.8K

$2,020 COP 6.2M

-87.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$165 PKR 45.7K

$1,148 COP 3.5M

-85.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$871 PKR 241.4K

$3,696 COP 11.3M

-76.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$554 PKR 153.7K

$1,586 COP 4.9M

-65.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.08

10.43

25.41%

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

Last update for Swat: August 16, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $121 in Swat versus $952 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 Swat versus $45.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $75.0 vs $297 – 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 285%, 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 $657 per month in Swat and $2,530 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 $23.00 in Swat and $45.00 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 $438 in Swat and $1,687 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 $438, than in Medellin at $1,687. 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.