Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Qarshi Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Qarshi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $394 in Qarshi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $660 in Qarshi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $926 in Qarshi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 161% more than Qarshi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Qarshi are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Qarshi 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$4.80 UZS 57.5K

25.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$21.29 UZS 255.0K

54.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$8.86 UZS 106.1K

-16.25%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$1.65 UZS 19.7K

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$0.45 UZS 5,376

137.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$0.27 UZS 3,238

181.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$0.64 UZS 7,721

168.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$1.67 UZS 20.0K

-19.76%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$1.43 UZS 17.2K

53.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$5.92 UZS 70.9K

43.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$0.49 UZS 5,864

377.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$1.75 UZS 21.0K

-36.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$1.79 UZS 21.4K

-15.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$0.23 UZS 2,749

400.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.43 UZS 5,141

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$2.54 UZS 30.5K

-11.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$0.14 UZS 1,733

464.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$9.51 UZS 113.9K

329.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$0.32 UZS 3,871

500.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$4.04 UZS 48.3K

133.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$31.61 UZS 378.6K

-17.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

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

$315 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$214 UZS 2.6M

127.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$200 UZS 2.4M

82.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$518 UZS 6.2M

59.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$395 UZS 4.7M

84.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$346 UZS 4.1M

59.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Qarshi: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $214 in Qarshi. 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 59% 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 $21.00 in Qarshi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $56.0 – making Qarshi 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 Qarshi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 161%, 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 $1,542 per month in Medellin and $591 in Qarshi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Qarshi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 329% less in Qarshi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 238% 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 Qarshi, where all-in costs run around $394, than in Medellin at $1,028. In Qarshi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Qarshi – 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 Qarshi. 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.