Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dar es Salaam and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Dar es Salaam: $702 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $11,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

34

Cost of Living Index in Dar es Salaam
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Dar es Salaam Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Dar es Salaam

🇹🇿 Tanzania

$702

/mo nomad

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,639

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dar es Salaam and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Dar es Salaam and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $702 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $1,639 in Medellin, rent included.

Dar es Salaam $702
Medellin $1,639

A couple spends around $1,108 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $2,413 in Medellin, rent included.

Dar es Salaam $1,108
Medellin $2,413

A family of three spends $1,514 per month in Dar es Salaam vs $3,186 in Medellin, rent included.

Dar es Salaam $1,514
Medellin $3,186

Dar es Salaam is about 57% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Dar es Salaam sits 48% below the global median, while Medellin is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.87 TZS 4,890

$8.09 COP 25.6K

-76.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.77 TZS 49.2K

$47.05 COP 148.9K

-60.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.72 TZS 20.2K

$9.50 COP 30.1K

-18.74%

Cappuccino

$2.01 TZS 5,272

$3.01 COP 9,540

-33.22%

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

$0.37 TZS 981

$1.80 COP 5,693

-79.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 TZS 577

$1.41 COP 4,469

-84.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.93 TZS 2,431

$3.18 COP 10.0K

-70.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 TZS 4,905

$5.75 COP 18.2K

-67.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 TZS 2,157

$1.51 COP 4,778

-45.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 TZS 1,622

$2.38 COP 7,524

-73.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 TZS 2,865

$1.77 COP 5,606

-38.42%

Eggs

$1.85 TZS 4,845

$2.89 COP 9,146

-35.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.16 TZS 24.0K

$10.19 COP 32.2K

-10.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.72 TZS 12.4K

$9.87 COP 31.2K

-52.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.00 TZS 10.5K

$13.99 COP 44.3K

-71.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.47 TZS 6,481

$3.97 COP 12.6K

-37.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 TZS 2,800

$1.55 COP 4,911

-30.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 TZS 2,694

$2.18 COP 6,907

-52.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.89 TZS 2,324

$2.18 COP 6,910

-59.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 TZS 2,442

$1.96 COP 6,210

-52.55%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 TZS 2,593

$1.59 COP 5,029

-37.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 TZS 2,173

$1.15 COP 3,625

-27.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 TZS 1,011

$1.24 COP 3,934

-68.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 TZS 5,605

$3.96 COP 12.5K

-45.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.27 TZS 19.0K

$13.68 COP 43.3K

-46.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 TZS 2,395

$1.66 COP 5,252

-45.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 TZS 4,020

$2.26 COP 7,145

-31.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 TZS 681

$1.17 COP 3,696

-77.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.54 TZS 38.1K

$77.4 COP 244.8K

-81.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 TZS 4,355

$1.27 COP 4,013

30.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 TZS 3,992

$2.05 COP 6,480

-25.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.17 TZS 34.5K

$8.55 COP 27.1K

54.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 TZS 3,561

$1.35 COP 4,262

0.74%

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

$16.5K TZS 43.2M

$34.1K COP 107.8M

-51.59%

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

$26.4K TZS 69.1M

$34.7K COP 109.7M

-23.95%

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

$55.6 TZS 145.7K

$170 COP 536.8K

-67.21%

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

$9.20 TZS 24.1K

$13.55 COP 42.9K

-32.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.86 TZS 88.7K

$28.07 COP 88.8K

20.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$83.9 TZS 219.8K

$43.70 COP 138.3K

92.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.73 TZS 25.5K

$17.19 COP 54.4K

-43.40%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 TZS 13.0K

$6.91 COP 21.9K

-28.08%

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

$559 TZS 1.5M

$797 COP 2.5M

-29.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.0K TZS 34.2M

$9,112 COP 28.8M

43.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.31 TZS 40.1K

$84.7 COP 268.1K

-81.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.76 TZS 67.5K

$58.0 COP 183.4K

-55.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.36 TZS 116.2K

$135 COP 427.1K

-67.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.7 TZS 153.8K

$97.9 COP 309.7K

-39.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$565 TZS 1.5M

$1,208 COP 3.8M

-53.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$195 TZS 510.0K

$642 COP 2.0M

-69.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,345 TZS 3.5M

$2,028 COP 6.4M

-33.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 TZS 1.1M

$1,012 COP 3.2M

-57.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,541 TZS 4.0M

$4,170 COP 13.2M

-63.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,053 TZS 2.8M

$1,910 COP 6.0M

-44.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$285 TZS 746.4K

$657 COP 2.1M

-56.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.25

10.94

66.82%

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

Last update for Dar es Salaam: October 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Dar es Salaam

$195 27.8%

Medellin

$642 39.1% 230% $447

Groceries & Markets

Dar es Salaam

$152 21.6%

Medellin

$297 18.1% 95.9% $145

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dar es Salaam

$99 14.1%

Medellin

$211 12.9% 114% $113

Sport & Entertainment

Dar es Salaam

$94 13.4%

Medellin

$58 3.5% 38.7% $36

Eating Out

Dar es Salaam

$73 10.4%

Medellin

$170 10.4% 132% $97

Clothing & Footwear

Dar es Salaam

$65 9.3%

Medellin

$169 10.3% 161% $104

Getting Around

Dar es Salaam

$25 3.5%

Medellin

$94 5.7% 276% $69

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $565 in Dar es Salaam versus $1,208 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 in Medellin are about 2.3 times higher, 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 $19 in Dar es Salaam versus $47 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $152 vs $297 – making Dar es Salaam the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇿 Dar es Salaam

🇨🇴 Medellin

🕒 Local time

03:26 3:26 AM

19:26 7:26 PM

8 h behind Dar es Salaam

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,383,728

2,486,723

💱 Currency

Tanzanian Shilling TZS Sh

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 TZS = 3.82 USD

10,000 TZS = 3.43 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.16 USD

10,000 COP = 2.84 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to TZS – Tanzanian Shilling Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇿 Tanzanian Shilling (Sh)

Tanzanian Shilling exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 2,619 TZS (10,000 TZS = 3.82 USD). 1 EUR = 2,916 TZS (10,000 TZS = 3.43 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 3,164 COP (10,000 COP = 3.16 USD). 1 EUR = 3,523 COP (10,000 COP = 2.84 EUR).

USD to TZS in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Dar es Salaam Medellin 12,830 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Dar es Salaam
Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Dar es Salaam vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 134%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,052 per month in Dar es Salaam and $2,459 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dar es Salaam, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $565 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.

Kindergarten costs $559 per month in Dar es Salaam and $797 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 96% more in Medellin, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Dar es Salaam, where all-in costs run around $702, than in Medellin at $1,639. In Dar es Salaam it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dar es Salaam – 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 Dar es Salaam. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.