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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $540 in Samarkand, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $889 in Samarkand, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,238 in Samarkand, rent included.

Medellin costs about 91% more than Samarkand, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Samarkand are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Samarkand 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$4.51 UZS 54.3K

31.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$17.62 UZS 212.1K

85.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$4.26 UZS 51.3K

69.01%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.76 UZS 21.2K

-3.41%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.39 UZS 4,721

182.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.25 UZS 2,980

188.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.27 UZS 15.3K

31.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$1.95 UZS 23.5K

58.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.00 UZS 12.0K

6.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.40 UZS 4,875

212.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.54 UZS 18.5K

-9.74%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.25 UZS 15.0K

80.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$7.79 UZS 93.8K

-44.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$3.75 UZS 45.2K

55.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$8.43 UZS 101.5K

4.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$0.77 UZS 9,263

190.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.75 UZS 21.1K

-38.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.55 UZS 18.6K

-1.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.51 UZS 18.1K

-9.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.49 UZS 5,882

130.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.15 UZS 1,836

646.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.25 UZS 3,021

240.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.38 UZS 4,538

139.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$1.54 UZS 18.5K

51.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$3.24 UZS 39.1K

243.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$0.91 UZS 10.9K

30.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.00 UZS 24.1K

18.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.23 UZS 2,758

243.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$3.11 UZS 37.4K

1222.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.37 UZS 4,495

289.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.18 UZS 2,205

961.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$2.39 UZS 28.8K

235.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.96 UZS 11.6K

-2.08%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$20.4K UZS 245.4M

-12.06%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$24.7K UZS 297.9M

8.28%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$39.20 UZS 472.0K

114.18%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$3.63 UZS 43.8K

164.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$11.76 UZS 141.7K

105.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$36.63 UZS 441.0K

-29.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$6.23 UZS 75.0K

205.62%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$2.99 UZS 36.0K

31.10%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$117 UZS 1.4M

161.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$4,738 UZS 57.0M

24.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$20.04 UZS 241.3K

188.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$38.87 UZS 468.0K

-18.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$71.7 UZS 862.8K

39.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$55.7 UZS 670.5K

92.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$229 UZS 2.8M

112.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$132 UZS 1.6M

179.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$430 UZS 5.2M

92.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$301 UZS 3.6M

137.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,241 UZS 14.9M

135.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$530 UZS 6.4M

165.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$296 UZS 3.6M

84.01%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Samarkand: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $229 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 84% 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 $143 – 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 91%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $810 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 $1,034 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 $1,034. 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.