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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $567 in Qarshi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $888 in Qarshi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,208 in Qarshi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 196% more than Qarshi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Qarshi is 59% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$10.02 UZS 117.9K

-19.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$16.70 UZS 196.4K

186.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$9.51 UZS 111.9K

4.00%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$1.03 UZS 12.2K

203.88%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.53 UZS 6,177

260.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.17 UZS 1,979

788.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$0.66 UZS 7,779

372.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.28 UZS 15.0K

12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.44 UZS 5,136

465.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.17 UZS 13.7K

51.28%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.55 UZS 18.3K

90.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$10.08 UZS 118.6K

-0.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$3.44 UZS 40.4K

194.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$10.98 UZS 129.2K

30.24%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.07 UZS 12.6K

286.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.66 UZS 19.5K

-3.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.84 UZS 21.7K

22.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.24 UZS 14.6K

81.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.46 UZS 5,422

343.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.26 UZS 3,063

492.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.44 UZS 5,169

197.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$3.36 UZS 39.5K

16.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.24 UZS 2,796

408.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$9.93 UZS 116.8K

710.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.35 UZS 4,124

525.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.17 UZS 13.7K

17.09%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$67.0 UZS 787.7K

164.71%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$3.79 UZS 44.6K

266.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$12.61 UZS 148.3K

135.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$34.12 UZS 401.2K

31.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

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

$813 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$4,551 UZS 53.5M

101.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$277 UZS 3.3M

283.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$171 UZS 2.0M

288.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$417 UZS 4.9M

352.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$314 UZS 3.7M

227.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$359 UZS 4.2M

88.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Qarshi: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $277 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 89% 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 $17.00 in Qarshi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $144 – 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 196%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $851 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 710% less in Qarshi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 111% 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 $567, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.