Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Samarkand Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Samarkand

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $541 in Samarkand, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $896 in Samarkand, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,251 in Samarkand, rent included.

Medellin costs about 85% more than Samarkand, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Samarkand are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Samarkand 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$4.53 UZS 54.4K

30.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$17.33 UZS 208.0K

90.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$4.44 UZS 53.3K

67.34%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$1.76 UZS 21.1K

-6.25%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$0.42 UZS 5,098

161.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$0.27 UZS 3,259

188.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$1.29 UZS 15.4K

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$1.94 UZS 23.3K

63.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$1.05 UZS 12.6K

4.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$0.41 UZS 4,870

207.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$1.52 UZS 18.2K

-9.21%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$1.30 UZS 15.6K

67.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$7.74 UZS 92.9K

-41.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$3.85 UZS 46.2K

50.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$8.63 UZS 103.6K

3.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$0.81 UZS 9,742

186.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$1.68 UZS 20.2K

-36.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$1.61 UZS 19.3K

-5.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$1.45 UZS 17.4K

-6.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$0.46 UZS 5,521

145.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$0.17 UZS 2,100

588.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$0.25 UZS 3,020

260.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$0.37 UZS 4,498

143.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$1.56 UZS 18.7K

42.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$3.40 UZS 40.8K

256.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$0.92 UZS 11.1K

29.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$1.95 UZS 23.4K

27.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$0.23 UZS 2,756

269.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

$3.21 UZS 38.6K

1196.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$0.41 UZS 4,885

246.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$0.16 UZS 1,969

1118.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$2.34 UZS 28.1K

237.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$1.01 UZS 12.1K

-1.98%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$19.9K UZS 239.2M

-11.65%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$25.0K UZS 300.5M

7.06%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$39.90 UZS 479.0K

108.05%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$3.57 UZS 42.9K

171.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$11.59 UZS 139.2K

102.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$37.12 UZS 445.6K

-31.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

$6.15 UZS 73.9K

210.57%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$2.94 UZS 35.3K

34.35%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$117 UZS 1.4M

168.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$4,798 UZS 57.6M

24.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$19.65 UZS 235.9K

205.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$40.12 UZS 481.7K

-20.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$70.0 UZS 840.0K

45.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$55.2 UZS 662.8K

94.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$225 UZS 2.7M

111.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$129 UZS 1.5M

190.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$436 UZS 5.2M

94.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$293 UZS 3.5M

145.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

$1,226 UZS 14.7M

166.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

$533 UZS 6.4M

170.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$301 UZS 3.6M

107.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

22.07

-39.15%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Samarkand: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $225 in Samarkand. 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 108% 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 $17.00 in Samarkand. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $145 – making Samarkand 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 Samarkand: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 85%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $811 in Samarkand. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $17.00 in Samarkand. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,003 in Medellin and $541 in Samarkand. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Samarkand, where all-in costs run around $541, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Samarkand it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Samarkand – 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 Samarkand. 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.