Cost of Living Comparison Between 'aqrah and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between 'aqrah and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $733 per month in 'aqrah vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,160 per month in 'aqrah vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,588 per month in 'aqrah vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

'aqrah is about 28% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both 'aqrah and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – 'aqrah 45% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.13 IQD 5,405

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-31.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.33 IQD 33.2K

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-22.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.94 IQD 9,082

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-2.12%

Cappuccino

$2.56 IQD 3,354

$1.71 COP 6,115

49.71%

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

$0.36 IQD 478

$1.10 COP 3,924

-67.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 270

$0.78 COP 2,781

-73.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.86 IQD 3,746

$1.68 COP 5,997

70.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 IQD 3,656

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-9.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 IQD 1,783

$1.09 COP 3,906

24.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,099

$1.26 COP 4,508

-33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 IQD 2,096

$1.38 COP 4,922

15.94%

Eggs

$1.81 IQD 2,372

$2.19 COP 7,827

-17.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.38 IQD 5,736

$4.40 COP 15.7K

-0.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.74 IQD 6,201

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-15.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.23 IQD 17.3K

$8.89 COP 31.8K

48.82%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 IQD 1,487

$2.34 COP 8,349

-51.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,507

$1.06 COP 3,777

8.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 IQD 1,379

$1.50 COP 5,374

-30.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 906

$1.38 COP 4,924

-50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 905

$1.15 COP 4,111

-40.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 893

$1.16 COP 4,155

-41.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 IQD 877

$0.89 COP 3,182

-24.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 IQD 675

$0.84 COP 2,997

-38.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.88 IQD 2,466

$2.28 COP 8,145

-17.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 IQD 2,352

$1.20 COP 4,284

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 IQD 2,838

$2.47 COP 8,824

-12.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 513

$0.86 COP 3,056

-54.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.09 IQD 40.7K

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-24.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.28 IQD 2,988

$1.47 COP 5,264

55.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 IQD 1,994

$1.96 COP 7,009

-22.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.14 IQD 8,041

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-20.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.54 IQD 706

$0.95 COP 3,409

-43.16%

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

$19.2K IQD 25.2M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

5.94%

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

$19.6K IQD 25.6M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-26.16%

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

$77.1 IQD 101.0K

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-6.24%

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

$17.98 IQD 23.5K

$9.50 COP 33.9K

89.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.11 IQD 46.0K

$24.23 COP 86.5K

44.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.07 IQD 47.2K

$25.89 COP 92.4K

39.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.82 IQD 22.0K

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-11.47%

Cinema Ticket

$7.76 IQD 10.2K

$3.93 COP 14.0K

97.46%

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

$154 IQD 202.1K

$309 COP 1.1M

-50.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,257 IQD 4.3M

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-45.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.29 IQD 35.7K

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-53.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.64 IQD 33.6K

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-20.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.7 IQD 80.8K

$103 COP 366.4K

-39.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.75 IQD 54.7K

$108 COP 387.2K

-61.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 IQD 316.5K

$476 COP 1.7M

-49.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 IQD 231.7K

$379 COP 1.4M

-53.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$581 IQD 760.9K

$838 COP 3.0M

-30.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 IQD 456.1K

$724 COP 2.6M

-51.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

13.43

-57.78%

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

Last update for 'aqrah: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $242 in 'aqrah versus $476 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in 'aqrah versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $158 vs $188 – making 'aqrah 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

'aqrah vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 38% more than 'aqrah, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,099 per month in 'aqrah and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $733 in 'aqrah and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 33% less in 'aqrah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in 'aqrah, where all-in costs run around $733, than in Medellin at $1,013. In 'aqrah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. 'aqrah costs $733 versus $1,013 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 'aqrah. 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.