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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $788 in Dushanbe, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,191 in Dushanbe, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,594 in Dushanbe, rent included.

Medellin costs about 31% more than Dushanbe, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Dushanbe are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Dushanbe 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.0K

$6.06 TJS 56.1

1.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.0K

$15.07 TJS 139

116.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$8.81 TJS 81.5

-16.69%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,592

$2.02 TJS 18.67

-14.85%

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

$1.05 COP 3,416

$0.62 TJS 5.77

69.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,511

$0.30 TJS 2.77

156.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,480

$1.22 TJS 11.26

38.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.04 TJS 18.85

55.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,418

$0.98 TJS 9.06

7.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,230

$0.57 TJS 5.27

128.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,538

$1.95 TJS 18.05

-28.21%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,037

$1.86 TJS 17.16

16.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$9.18 TJS 84.9

-52.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.46 TJS 41.22

31.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$9.28 TJS 85.9

-6.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,415

$1.71 TJS 15.86

33.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,599

$2.56 TJS 23.72

-56.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,976

$2.55 TJS 23.62

-40.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,405

$1.29 TJS 11.95

4.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,669

$0.79 TJS 7.32

43.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,687

$0.55 TJS 5.07

105.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,749

$0.79 TJS 7.27

7.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,971

$0.64 TJS 5.89

42.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,619

$2.52 TJS 23.35

-7.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.2K

$11.28 TJS 104

9.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,904

$1.43 TJS 13.27

-16.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,094

$2.23 TJS 20.59

11.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,724

$0.26 TJS 2.42

223.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 131.9K

$9.98 TJS 92.3

306.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,617

$0.97 TJS 8.96

46.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,227

$0.27 TJS 2.49

611.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$5.91 TJS 54.7

29.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,219

$0.98 TJS 9.04

1.02%

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

$18.0K COP 58.6M

$18.4K TJS 170.5K

-2.21%

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

$26.6K COP 86.6M

$25.9K TJS 239.6K

2.81%

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

$80.8 COP 262.7K

$50.9 TJS 470

58.89%

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

$9.95 COP 32.3K

$13.67 TJS 126

-27.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.6K

$23.90 TJS 221

1.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.5K

$39.81 TJS 368

-37.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$9.08 TJS 84.0

110.90%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.98 TJS 46.08

-20.08%

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

$305 COP 992.2K

$101 TJS 930

203.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$14.3K TJS 132.2K

-57.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.0K

$30.38 TJS 281

91.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.7K

$38.49 TJS 356

-16.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.5K

$75.5 TJS 698

33.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.3K

$54.2 TJS 502

98.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.5M

$445 TJS 4,118

7.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$235 TJS 2,175

59.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$760 TJS 7,032

11.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$416 TJS 3,847

75.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,301 TJS 12.0K

147.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$695 TJS 6,426

97.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$436 TJS 4,029

41.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

25.75

-47.84%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Dushanbe: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $445 in Dushanbe. 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 42% 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 $15.00 in Dushanbe. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $197 in Dushanbe – 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

Medellin vs Dushanbe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 31%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,182 in Dushanbe. 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 $305 per month in Medellin and $101 in Dushanbe. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% 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 $788, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.