Cost of Living Comparison Between Dushanbe and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Dushanbe and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $789 per month in Dushanbe vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,206 per month in Dushanbe vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,624 per month in Dushanbe vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Dushanbe is about 22% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Dushanbe and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Dushanbe 41% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.80 TJS 53.6

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-3.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.03 TJS 139

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-54.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.70 TJS 80.4

$7.09 COP 25.3K

22.71%

Cappuccino

$2.06 TJS 19.07

$1.71 COP 6,115

20.47%

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

$0.67 TJS 6.18

$1.10 COP 3,924

-39.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 TJS 2.98

$0.78 COP 2,781

-58.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 TJS 10.70

$1.68 COP 5,997

-30.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 TJS 18.49

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-34.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 TJS 9.08

$1.09 COP 3,906

-10.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 TJS 5.29

$1.26 COP 4,508

-54.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 TJS 17.69

$1.38 COP 4,922

38.41%

Eggs

$1.79 TJS 16.55

$2.19 COP 7,827

-18.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.98 TJS 83.0

$4.40 COP 15.7K

104.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.58 TJS 42.36

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-18.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.09 TJS 84.0

$8.89 COP 31.8K

2.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 TJS 15.44

$2.34 COP 8,349

-28.63%

Banana (1kg)

$2.62 TJS 24.18

$1.06 COP 3,777

147.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 TJS 23.56

$1.50 COP 5,374

70.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.28 TJS 11.83

$1.38 COP 4,924

-7.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 TJS 6.83

$1.15 COP 4,111

-35.65%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 TJS 5.36

$1.16 COP 4,155

-50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 TJS 7.69

$0.89 COP 3,182

-6.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 TJS 5.84

$0.84 COP 2,997

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 TJS 22.71

$2.28 COP 8,145

7.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.33 TJS 95.5

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-2.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 TJS 13.84

$1.20 COP 4,284

25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 TJS 20.76

$2.47 COP 8,824

-8.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 TJS 2.21

$0.86 COP 3,056

-72.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.06 TJS 93.0

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-75.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 TJS 9.26

$1.47 COP 5,264

-31.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 TJS 2.47

$1.96 COP 7,009

-86.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.09 TJS 56.3

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-21.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 TJS 8.94

$0.95 COP 3,409

2.11%

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

$18.1K TJS 167.7K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

0.09%

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

$25.8K TJS 238.3K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-2.66%

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

$50.7 TJS 468

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-38.41%

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

$13.45 TJS 124

$9.50 COP 33.9K

41.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.21 TJS 224

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-0.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.00 TJS 370

$25.89 COP 92.4K

54.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.91 TJS 82.4

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-53.11%

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 TJS 45.22

$3.93 COP 14.0K

24.43%

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

$102 TJS 941

$309 COP 1.1M

-67.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K TJS 132.9K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

140.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.80 TJS 285

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-47.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.42 TJS 355

$32.35 COP 115.5K

18.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 TJS 692

$103 COP 366.4K

-27.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.2 TJS 510

$108 COP 387.2K

-49.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 TJS 4,056

$476 COP 1.7M

-7.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$230 TJS 2,129

$379 COP 1.4M

-39.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 TJS 6,778

$838 COP 3.0M

-12.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$419 TJS 3,873

$724 COP 2.6M

-42.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,257 TJS 11.6K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-54.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$711 TJS 6,570

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-41.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$478 TJS 4,417

$512 COP 1.8M

-6.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

25.75

13.43

91.73%

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

Last update for Dushanbe: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $439 in Dushanbe versus $476 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 run about 7% higher in Medellin, 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 $15.00 in Dushanbe versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $195 in Dushanbe vs $188 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Dushanbe vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 28%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,183 per month in Dushanbe and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dushanbe, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $102 per month in Dushanbe and $309 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Dushanbe, where all-in costs run around $789, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Dushanbe it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dushanbe – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Dushanbe. 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.