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 $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $703 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,102 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,501 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

Medellin costs about 133% more than Dar es Salaam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Dar es Salaam is 49% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$1.85 TZS 4,870

334.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$18.78 TZS 49.4K

157.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$8.46 TZS 22.2K

11.35%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$1.89 TZS 4,957

55.56%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$0.35 TZS 915

431.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.22 TZS 579

563.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$0.93 TZS 2,456

245.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$1.84 TZS 4,837

210.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$0.79 TZS 2,077

82.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$0.61 TZS 1,605

293.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.09 TZS 2,860

55.96%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$1.92 TZS 5,042

50.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$9.35 TZS 24.6K

7.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$4.67 TZS 12.3K

113.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$4.02 TZS 10.6K

253.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$2.52 TZS 6,621

57.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.01 TZS 2,660

56.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$0.99 TZS 2,614

117.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$1.05 TZS 2,758

119.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$0.93 TZS 2,434

115.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$1.01 TZS 2,663

49.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$0.81 TZS 2,139

48.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.35 TZS 933

265.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$2.30 TZS 6,044

66.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$6.94 TZS 18.2K

101.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$0.84 TZS 2,215

103.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$1.57 TZS 4,121

74.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$0.24 TZS 626

420.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$14.67 TZS 38.6K

431.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$1.66 TZS 4,366

-21.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$1.53 TZS 4,017

41.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$13.46 TZS 35.4K

-38.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.33 TZS 3,494

2.26%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$16.7K TZS 43.8M

64.76%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$26.5K TZS 69.6M

38.04%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$56.2 TZS 147.7K

200.27%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$9.00 TZS 23.6K

50.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$34.47 TZS 90.6K

-17.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$83.5 TZS 219.5K

-45.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$8.09 TZS 21.3K

112.86%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$5.22 TZS 13.7K

27.39%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$577 TZS 1.5M

39.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$13.2K TZS 34.6M

-30.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$14.39 TZS 37.8K

507.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$26.26 TZS 69.0K

126.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$44.87 TZS 118.0K

209.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$65.7 TZS 172.7K

55.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$605 TZS 1.6M

77.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$198 TZS 519.3K

230.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$1,374 TZS 3.6M

40.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$444 TZS 1.2M

135.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$1,540 TZS 4.0M

167.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$1,076 TZS 2.8M

57.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$283 TZS 743.9K

131.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

18.25

-40.05%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Dar es Salaam: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $605 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 131% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $19.00 in Dar es Salaam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $151 – 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 133%, 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 $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,055 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 $803 per month in Medellin and $577 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 99% 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 $703, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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.