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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $540 in Samarkand, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $884 in Samarkand, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,228 in Samarkand, rent included.

Medellin costs about 88% more than Samarkand, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Samarkand are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Samarkand 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$4.52 UZS 54.1K

31.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$17.65 UZS 211.4K

88.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$4.30 UZS 51.5K

68.14%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.75 UZS 21.0K

-6.86%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.42 UZS 5,048

159.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.25 UZS 2,983

192.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.30 UZS 15.5K

33.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.01 UZS 24.1K

60.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.01 UZS 12.1K

3.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.41 UZS 4,896

214.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.58 UZS 18.9K

-16.46%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.32 UZS 15.8K

71.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$7.65 UZS 91.6K

-43.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$3.71 UZS 44.4K

58.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$8.75 UZS 104.8K

-1.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$0.76 UZS 9,151

196.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.69 UZS 20.3K

-36.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.62 UZS 19.4K

-6.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.52 UZS 18.2K

-6.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.48 UZS 5,759

143.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.16 UZS 1,921

631.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.25 UZS 3,011

256.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.40 UZS 4,808

125.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$1.59 UZS 19.1K

41.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$3.37 UZS 40.4K

227.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$0.97 UZS 11.6K

17.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.99 UZS 23.8K

19.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.25 UZS 2,997

236.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$3.18 UZS 38.1K

1219.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.38 UZS 4,512

271.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.19 UZS 2,303

900.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$2.34 UZS 28.0K

231.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.95 UZS 11.4K

6.32%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$20.1K UZS 240.4M

-12.43%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$25.2K UZS 302.2M

4.99%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$38.86 UZS 465.4K

115.34%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$3.67 UZS 44.0K

157.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$11.65 UZS 139.5K

106.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$36.09 UZS 432.3K

-29.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$6.13 UZS 73.4K

212.23%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$2.88 UZS 34.4K

42.36%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$117 UZS 1.4M

166.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$4,734 UZS 56.7M

26.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$19.72 UZS 236.1K

194.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$39.41 UZS 472.0K

-17.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$71.3 UZS 853.5K

39.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$54.6 UZS 654.3K

98.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$230 UZS 2.8M

109.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$129 UZS 1.5M

194.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$440 UZS 5.3M

90.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$296 UZS 3.5M

144.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,229 UZS 14.7M

131.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$533 UZS 6.4M

129.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$306 UZS 3.7M

76.58%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Samarkand: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $230 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 77% 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 $18.00 in Samarkand. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 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 88%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $809 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 $18.00 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $540 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 $540, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.