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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $431 per month in Swat vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $641 per month in Swat vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $852 per month in Swat vs $2,120 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 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.80 PKR 781

$5.92 COP 21.4K

-52.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.08 PKR 3,925

$32.75 COP 118.2K

-57.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.16 PKR 1,438

$7.20 COP 26.0K

-28.33%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 PKR 505

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 PKR 1,096

Cappuccino

$2.06 PKR 573

$1.70 COP 6,140

21.18%

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

$0.42 PKR 118

$1.10 COP 3,966

-61.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 67.3

$0.72 COP 2,605

-66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

Milk (1 liter)

$0.68 PKR 189

$1.06 COP 3,809

-35.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.67 PKR 187

$1.25 COP 4,497

-46.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PKR 344

$1.39 COP 5,022

-11.51%

Eggs

$1.26 PKR 351

$2.26 COP 8,168

-44.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.25 PKR 1,741

$4.33 COP 15.6K

44.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.36 PKR 380

$5.84 COP 21.1K

-76.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$1.43 PKR 398

$8.83 COP 31.9K

-83.81%

Apples (1kg)

$0.86 PKR 239

$2.24 COP 8,099

-61.61%

Banana (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 102

$1.08 COP 3,882

-66.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.51 PKR 141

$1.53 COP 5,522

-66.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.41 PKR 113

$1.37 COP 4,950

-70.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 PKR 108

$1.13 COP 4,078

-65.49%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 PKR 142

$1.12 COP 4,036

-54.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 85.7

$0.85 COP 3,057

-63.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 PKR 114

$0.91 COP 3,281

-54.95%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.44 PKR 401

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 PKR 244

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 PKR 563

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.13 PKR 594

$2.33 COP 8,414

-8.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 PKR 53.4

$0.79 COP 2,838

-75.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.13 PKR 1,989

$41.13 COP 148.5K

-82.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.36 PKR 101

$1.44 COP 5,184

-75.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 PKR 121

$1.91 COP 6,901

-77.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.89 PKR 807

$8.02 COP 28.9K

-63.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 255

$0.94 COP 3,385

-3.19%

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

$20.8K PKR 5.8M

$17.9K COP 64.7M

16.14%

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

$25.8K PKR 7.2M

$26.8K COP 96.7M

-3.71%

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

$112 PKR 31.2K

$84.0 COP 303.1K

33.42%

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

$5.43 PKR 1,513

$9.60 COP 34.7K

-43.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.52 PKR 3,489

$24.16 COP 87.2K

-48.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$6.12 PKR 1,706

$25.88 COP 93.4K

-76.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.99 PKR 1,670

$19.04 COP 68.7K

-68.54%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 PKR 1,199

$3.92 COP 14.1K

9.69%

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

$19.32 PKR 5,385

$306 COP 1.1M

-93.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,104 PKR 307.8K

$5,919 COP 21.4M

-81.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.69 PKR 6,046

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-62.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.29 PKR 7,888

$31.82 COP 114.9K

-11.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.5 PKR 24.7K

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-11.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.89 PKR 11.4K

$107 COP 386.8K

-61.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$75.7 PKR 21.1K

$487 COP 1.8M

-84.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$52.1 PKR 14.5K

$368 COP 1.3M

-85.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$168 PKR 46.8K

$826 COP 3.0M

-79.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$106 PKR 29.5K

$716 COP 2.6M

-85.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$833 PKR 232.1K

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-71.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$572 PKR 159.4K

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-59.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $75.7 in Swat versus $487 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: $72.0 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 140%, 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 $647 per month in Swat and $1,550 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 $431 in Swat and $1,034 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 $431, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.