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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $415 in Dhaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $705 in Dhaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $995 in Dhaka.

Living in Medellin is roughly 149% more expensive than Dhaka, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Dhaka 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$2.42 ৳297

144.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$12.53 ৳1,539

161.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$4.94 ৳607

45.75%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.11 ৳505

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 ৳615

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.18 ৳268

-22.02%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.32 ৳39.01

243.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.16 ৳20.10

350.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$0.76 ৳93.9

39.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.66 ৳80.7

89.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.66 ৳81.2

110.61%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.26 ৳154

79.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$6.68 ৳820

-35.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$3.46 ৳425

68.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$6.50 ৳798

35.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.79 ৳342

-19.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.12 ৳138

-3.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.67 ৳328

-42.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.90 ৳111

52.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.47 ৳57.4

140.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.79 ৳96.8

41.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.36 ৳43.60

136.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.30 ৳37.36

203.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.34 ৳1,515

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.91 ৳480

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.15 ৳877

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.90 ৳356

-19.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.40 ৳49.03

97.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$24.92 ৳3,060

65.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.25 ৳153

15.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.39 ৳48.07

389.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$3.04 ৳373

163.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.06 ৳130

-11.32%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$28.8K ৳3.5M

-37.77%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$28.4K ৳3.5M

-5.63%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$32.13 ৳3,944

161.31%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$4.71 ৳578

103.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$13.35 ৳1,639

80.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$19.36 ৳2,377

33.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$14.43 ৳1,772

31.95%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$4.19 ৳514

-6.44%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$47.21 ৳5,796

548.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$1,929 ৳236.8K

206.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$18.22 ৳2,236

217.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$23.80 ৳2,921

33.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$47.14 ৳5,788

111.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$36.51 ৳4,483

193.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$119 ৳14.6K

307.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$64.0 ৳7,852

475.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$306 ৳37.5K

170.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$187 ৳22.9K

283.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,306 ৳160.3K

123.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$621 ৳76.2K

126.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$304 ৳37.4K

79.29%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Dhaka: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $119 in Dhaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 79% 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 $123 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 149% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 79% 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: $487 in Medellin versus $119 in Dhaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $415 in Dhaka – a 149% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dhaka runs roughly 65% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $415 in Dhaka versus $1,034 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 149% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.