Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Dar es Salaam Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Dar es Salaam

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $871 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,393 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,914 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

Medellin costs about 19% more than Dar es Salaam, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Medellin and Dar es Salaam are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Dar es Salaam 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$2.79 TZS 7,210

112.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$19.41 TZS 50.2K

68.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.93 TZS 20.5K

-9.21%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.95 TZS 5,053

-12.82%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.39 TZS 1,003

182.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.22 TZS 568

227.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.07 TZS 2,778

56.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$1.95 TZS 5,038

58.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.08 TZS 2,790

-1.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.81 TZS 2,108

54.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.12 TZS 2,911

24.11%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.97 TZS 5,112

14.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$9.46 TZS 24.5K

-54.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$5.83 TZS 15.1K

0.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$4.37 TZS 11.3K

102.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.61 TZS 6,764

-14.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.05 TZS 2,724

2.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.05 TZS 2,729

45.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.04 TZS 2,702

31.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.94 TZS 2,441

20.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.53 TZS 3,968

-26.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.91 TZS 2,350

-6.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.44 TZS 1,138

106.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.04 TZS 5,289

14.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$6.44 TZS 16.7K

72.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$0.97 TZS 2,502

22.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.62 TZS 4,205

46.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.26 TZS 673

203.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$17.10 TZS 44.3K

140.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.49 TZS 3,852

-3.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.51 TZS 3,897

26.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$13.43 TZS 34.8K

-40.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.25 TZS 3,244

-24.80%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$16.8K TZS 43.5M

6.72%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$17.2K TZS 44.6M

55.68%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$98.3 TZS 254.5K

-14.60%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$10.90 TZS 28.2K

-11.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$31.96 TZS 82.7K

-24.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$95.7 TZS 247.7K

-72.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$4.79 TZS 12.4K

297.49%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$4.75 TZS 12.3K

-17.47%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$253 TZS 655.0K

21.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$19.3K TZS 49.9M

-69.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$25.75 TZS 66.7K

124.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$41.74 TZS 108.1K

-23.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$46.25 TZS 119.7K

116.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$85.7 TZS 221.8K

25.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$592 TZS 1.5M

-17.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$256 TZS 663.1K

43.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$1,299 TZS 3.4M

-36.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$646 TZS 1.7M

10.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,522 TZS 3.9M

92.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,105 TZS 2.9M

27.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$263 TZS 681.9K

107.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

19.67

-31.72%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Dar es Salaam: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $592 in Dar es Salaam. 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 107% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $19.00 in Dar es Salaam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $167 – making Dar es Salaam 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

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

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 19%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,307 in Dar es Salaam. 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Medellin and $253 in Dar es Salaam. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Dar es Salaam, where all-in costs run around $871, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.