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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $938 in Dushanbe, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,391 in Dushanbe, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,843 in Dushanbe, rent included.

Medellin costs about 75% more than Dushanbe, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Dushanbe is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 25.0K

$4.93 TJS 45.65

63.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 150.0K

$20.33 TJS 188

137.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.3K

$5.45 TJS 50.5

72.84%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,127

$1.74 TJS 16.07

68.97%

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

$1.86 COP 5,790

$0.57 TJS 5.31

226.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,522

$0.36 TJS 3.37

305.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,977

$1.18 TJS 10.88

172.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.7K

$2.33 TJS 21.57

145.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,471

$1.07 TJS 9.87

34.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,460

$0.61 TJS 5.61

293.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,278

$2.45 TJS 22.66

-30.61%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,982

$1.76 TJS 16.25

64.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 31.2K

$10.83 TJS 100

-7.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 31.0K

$4.29 TJS 39.69

132.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 44.1K

$11.35 TJS 105

25.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.4K

$1.92 TJS 17.78

107.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,925

$2.80 TJS 25.88

-43.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,688

$2.69 TJS 24.88

-20.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,146

$1.27 TJS 11.72

81.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,228

$0.59 TJS 5.50

238.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,691

$0.40 TJS 3.71

277.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,737

$0.88 TJS 8.13

36.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,984

$0.66 TJS 6.09

93.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.9K

$3.71 TJS 34.36

3.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.5K

$11.20 TJS 104

25.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,307

$1.45 TJS 13.42

17.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,521

$2.05 TJS 18.99

33.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,871

$0.26 TJS 2.40

380.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 242.1K

$32.94 TJS 305

136.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,055

$1.05 TJS 9.72

24.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,745

$0.31 TJS 2.86

600.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.8K

$6.36 TJS 58.9

30.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,212

$1.17 TJS 10.87

16.24%

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

$27.5K COP 85.4M

$16.6K TJS 153.2K

65.95%

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

$36.5K COP 113.5M

$24.3K TJS 224.5K

50.56%

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

$169 COP 524.3K

$67.6 TJS 625

149.55%

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

$13.57 COP 42.2K

$9.91 TJS 91.7

36.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 88.0K

$17.29 TJS 160

63.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 142.0K

$44.95 TJS 416

1.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.5K

$14.47 TJS 134

19.00%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$5.45 TJS 50.4

22.02%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$84.6 TJS 783

849.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.6M

$5,590 TJS 51.7K

64.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 271.4K

$24.50 TJS 227

256.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 184.5K

$52.0 TJS 481

14.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 431.6K

$78.1 TJS 722

77.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 317.0K

$55.9 TJS 517

82.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$629 TJS 5,819

70.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$358 TJS 3,316

82.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 6.0M

$868 TJS 8,026

121.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.3M

$562 TJS 5,197

86.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.8M

$1,303 TJS 12.1K

216.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.3M

$697 TJS 6,448

143.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$449 TJS 4,158

45.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

23.17

-52.78%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Dushanbe: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $629 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 46% 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 $20.00 in Dushanbe. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $213 – making Dushanbe 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 Dushanbe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 75%, 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 $1,407 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 $803 per month in Medellin and $84.6 in Dushanbe. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 41% 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 Dushanbe, where all-in costs run around $938, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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.