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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $789 in Dushanbe, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,206 in Dushanbe, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,624 in Dushanbe, rent included.

Medellin costs about 28% more than Dushanbe, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Dushanbe are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Dushanbe 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$5.80 TJS 53.6

3.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$15.03 TJS 139

118.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$8.70 TJS 80.4

-18.51%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.06 TJS 19.07

-16.99%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.67 TJS 6.18

64.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.32 TJS 2.98

143.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.16 TJS 10.70

44.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.00 TJS 18.49

53.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$0.98 TJS 9.08

11.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.57 TJS 5.29

121.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.91 TJS 17.69

-27.75%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.79 TJS 16.55

22.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$8.98 TJS 83.0

-51.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.58 TJS 42.36

22.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$9.09 TJS 84.0

-2.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.67 TJS 15.44

40.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$2.62 TJS 24.18

-59.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$2.55 TJS 23.56

-41.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.28 TJS 11.83

7.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.74 TJS 6.83

55.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$0.58 TJS 5.36

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.83 TJS 7.69

7.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.63 TJS 5.84

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$2.46 TJS 22.71

-7.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$10.33 TJS 95.5

3.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.50 TJS 13.84

-20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.25 TJS 20.76

9.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.24 TJS 2.21

258.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$10.06 TJS 93.0

311.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.00 TJS 9.26

47.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.27 TJS 2.47

625.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$6.09 TJS 56.3

27.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$0.97 TJS 8.94

-2.06%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$18.1K TJS 167.7K

-0.09%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$25.8K TJS 238.3K

2.73%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$50.7 TJS 468

62.36%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$13.45 TJS 124

-29.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$24.21 TJS 224

0.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$40.00 TJS 370

-35.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$8.91 TJS 82.4

113.24%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.89 TJS 45.22

-19.63%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$102 TJS 941

203.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$14.4K TJS 132.9K

-58.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$30.80 TJS 285

90.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$38.42 TJS 355

-15.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$74.9 TJS 692

37.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$55.2 TJS 510

96.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$439 TJS 4,056

8.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$230 TJS 2,129

64.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$733 TJS 6,778

14.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$419 TJS 3,873

72.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,257 TJS 11.6K

122.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$711 TJS 6,570

70.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$478 TJS 4,417

7.09%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Dushanbe: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $439 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 7% 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 – $188 in Medellin vs $195 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 28%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,183 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 $309 per month in Medellin and $102 in Dushanbe. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% 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 $789, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.