Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Dhaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Dhaka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $417 in Dhaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $710 in Dhaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,003 in Dhaka.

Living in Medellin is roughly 144% more expensive than Dhaka, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Dhaka 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$2.40 ৳294

147.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$12.79 ৳1,567

160.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$5.04 ৳618

43.45%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.22 ৳517

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.98 ৳611

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.22 ৳272

-26.58%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.32 ৳38.90

240.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.18 ৳21.62

305.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.77 ৳94.4

36.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.66 ৳80.5

95.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.66 ৳80.8

100.00%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.30 ৳160

74.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$6.79 ৳833

-35.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$3.49 ৳428

68.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$6.41 ৳785

34.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.83 ৳346

-20.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.08 ৳133

-0.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.54 ৳312

-40.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.85 ৳104

67.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.44 ৳53.9

165.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.78 ৳95.0

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.36 ৳43.54

147.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.28 ৳34.07

221.43%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.28 ৳1,505

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.90 ৳477

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.95 ৳852

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.89 ৳354

-22.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.39 ৳47.83

115.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$25.03 ৳3,067

67.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.26 ৳154

11.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.39 ৳48.37

387.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$3.14 ৳384

146.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.06 ৳130

-4.72%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$29.1K ৳3.6M

-39.66%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$28.3K ৳3.5M

-6.38%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$33.04 ৳4,049

153.27%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$4.77 ৳584

98.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$13.01 ৳1,594

85.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$19.65 ৳2,408

28.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$14.51 ৳1,777

31.91%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$4.02 ৳493

1.99%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$46.77 ৳5,731

566.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$1,961 ৳240.3K

205.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$18.47 ৳2,263

214.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$23.83 ৳2,920

36.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$46.72 ৳5,725

113.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$36.33 ৳4,452

198.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$115 ৳14.1K

317.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$64.2 ৳7,864

491.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$314 ৳38.5K

166.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$190 ৳23.3K

280.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,489 ৳182.4K

90.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$667 ৳81.8K

83.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$288 ৳35.2K

88.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

10.52

27.66%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Dhaka: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $115 in Dhaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 88% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $13.00 in Dhaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $122 per month, with Dhaka cheaper across the board.

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 Dhaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dhaka is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 144% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 88% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $482 in Medellin versus $115 in Dhaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $417 in Dhaka – a 144% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dhaka runs roughly 68% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $417 in Dhaka versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dhaka but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Dhaka the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Dhaka is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Dhaka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 144% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.