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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $468 per month in Swat vs $1,589 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $726 per month in Swat vs $2,364 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $984 per month in Swat vs $3,139 in Medellin, rent included.

Swat is about 71% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Swat sits 65% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.67 PKR 1,015

$8.01 COP 25.8K

-54.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.36 PKR 6,465

$46.55 COP 150.3K

-49.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.60 PKR 995

$9.43 COP 30.5K

-61.82%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 PKR 986

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 PKR 1,951

Cappuccino

$2.62 PKR 726

$2.91 COP 9,398

-9.97%

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

$0.32 PKR 89.7

$1.75 COP 5,657

-81.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.0

$1.32 COP 4,273

-84.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 COP 10.1K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 COP 17.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 PKR 270

$1.41 COP 4,553

-30.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.42 PKR 116

$2.44 COP 7,878

-82.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 PKR 359

$1.63 COP 5,258

-20.25%

Eggs

$1.26 PKR 349

$2.82 COP 9,107

-55.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.97 PKR 1,653

$9.69 COP 31.3K

-38.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.28 PKR 907

$9.32 COP 30.1K

-64.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.48 PKR 1,516

$13.46 COP 43.4K

-59.29%

Apples (1kg)

$1.29 PKR 358

$4.00 COP 12.9K

-67.75%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 PKR 223

$1.48 COP 4,780

-45.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 PKR 288

$2.12 COP 6,856

-50.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 153

$2.25 COP 7,271

-75.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.28 PKR 77.6

$1.91 COP 6,171

-85.34%

Onion (1kg)

$0.38 PKR 106

$1.62 COP 5,228

-76.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.28 PKR 76.9

$1.15 COP 3,706

-75.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 PKR 106

$1.26 COP 4,074

-69.84%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.80 PKR 499

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 PKR 341

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 PKR 643

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 PKR 649

$3.82 COP 12.3K

-38.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 COP 42.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 5,149

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,282

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 48.66

$1.17 COP 3,779

-84.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.79 PKR 2,986

$75.0 COP 242.1K

-85.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 PKR 355

$1.27 COP 4,108

0.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 PKR 196

$2.05 COP 6,616

-65.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 PKR 454

$8.20 COP 26.5K

-80.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 PKR 365

$1.27 COP 4,098

3.94%

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

$21.8K PKR 6.0M

$26.8K COP 86.4M

-18.55%

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

$24.1K PKR 6.7M

$34.4K COP 111.1M

-30.06%

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

$104 PKR 28.7K

$162 COP 523.6K

-36.01%

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

$5.28 PKR 1,462

$13.12 COP 42.4K

-59.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.25 PKR 4,498

$28.09 COP 90.7K

-42.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.86 PKR 4,113

$44.33 COP 143.1K

-66.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.50 PKR 2,352

$16.33 COP 52.7K

-47.95%

Cinema Ticket

$4.25 PKR 1,176

$6.09 COP 19.6K

-30.21%

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

$43.27 PKR 12.0K

$764 COP 2.5M

-94.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,057 PKR 292.6K

$8,904 COP 28.7M

-88.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.78 PKR 6,859

$85.0 COP 274.3K

-70.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.29 PKR 9,491

$57.5 COP 185.6K

-40.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$25.41 PKR 7,032

$132 COP 425.3K

-80.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.40 PKR 11.2K

$95.8 COP 309.1K

-57.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$124 PKR 34.3K

$1,028 COP 3.3M

-87.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$76.6 PKR 21.2K

$604 COP 2.0M

-87.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$274 PKR 75.9K

$1,802 COP 5.8M

-84.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$170 PKR 47.1K

$993 COP 3.2M

-82.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$911 PKR 252.3K

$3,921 COP 12.7M

-76.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$540 PKR 149.5K

$1,639 COP 5.3M

-67.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 COP 2.0M

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 Swat: October 3, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $124 in Swat versus $1,028 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 $47.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $100 vs $288 – 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 240%, 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 $702 per month in Swat and $2,384 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 $47.00 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 $468 in Swat and $1,589 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 $468, than in Medellin at $1,589. 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.