Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Kufah and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Kufah and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $636 in Al Kufah versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,024 in Al Kufah versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,413 in Al Kufah versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Al Kufah costs roughly 62% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Kufah is 54% below, Medellin is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.77 IQD 6,244

$8.02 COP 25.0K

-40.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.77 IQD 44.2K

$47.87 COP 149.4K

-29.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 IQD 10.3K

$9.89 COP 30.8K

-20.73%

Cappuccino

$3.14 IQD 4,115

$3.13 COP 9,767

0.32%

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

$0.37 IQD 480

$1.91 COP 5,954

-80.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 IQD 344

$1.51 COP 4,712

-82.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.77 IQD 4,940

$3.12 COP 9,747

20.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 IQD 4,923

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-34.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 IQD 1,415

$1.44 COP 4,509

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 IQD 1,016

$2.49 COP 7,759

-68.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 IQD 2,074

$1.77 COP 5,535

-10.73%

Eggs

$1.82 IQD 2,379

$2.96 COP 9,235

-38.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.22 IQD 2,905

$10.07 COP 31.4K

-77.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.65 IQD 6,089

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-54.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.32 IQD 12.2K

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-34.83%

Apples (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 978

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-81.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 IQD 1,426

$1.61 COP 5,019

-32.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.60 IQD 788

$2.25 COP 7,007

-73.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 IQD 741

$2.25 COP 7,028

-74.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 IQD 665

$2.04 COP 6,375

-75.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 IQD 431

$1.54 COP 4,790

-78.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.17 IQD 221

$1.17 COP 3,651

-85.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 IQD 714

$1.31 COP 4,077

-58.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.54 IQD 2,015

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-60.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.57 IQD 17.8K

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-3.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 IQD 2,947

$1.74 COP 5,439

29.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 IQD 2,969

$2.87 COP 8,956

-20.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 IQD 483

$1.22 COP 3,792

-69.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.34 IQD 3,061

$1.31 COP 4,084

78.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 IQD 2,058

$2.19 COP 6,825

-28.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.57 IQD 9,912

$8.71 COP 27.2K

-13.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.54 IQD 710

$1.37 COP 4,260

-60.58%

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

$18.9K IQD 24.7M

$27.8K COP 86.9M

-32.26%

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

$18.9K IQD 24.7M

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-47.17%

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

$217 IQD 284.3K

$177 COP 553.2K

22.45%

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

$21.02 IQD 27.5K

$13.88 COP 43.3K

51.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.80 IQD 29.9K

$29.72 COP 92.8K

-23.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.90 IQD 20.8K

$44.88 COP 140.1K

-64.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$10.15 IQD 13.3K

$6.65 COP 20.7K

52.63%

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

$72.9 IQD 95.4K

$813 COP 2.5M

-91.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,432 IQD 3.2M

$9,187 COP 28.7M

-73.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.09 IQD 13.2K

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-88.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.40 IQD 38.5K

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-50.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$19.61 IQD 25.7K

$138 COP 431.2K

-85.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.38 IQD 46.3K

$102 COP 318.7K

-65.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$189 IQD 247.4K

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-82.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$254 IQD 332.2K

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-86.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$197 IQD 258.2K

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-80.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,321 IQD 1.7M

$4,183 COP 13.1M

-68.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$380 IQD 497.7K

$1,675 COP 5.2M

-77.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,021 IQD 1.3M

$678 COP 2.1M

50.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

10.94

-62.34%

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

Last update for Al Kufah: September 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $189 in Al Kufah and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Kufah pays 51% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $34.00 in Al Kufah vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $158 vs $305 per month, with Al Kufah cheaper across the board.

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

Al Kufah vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Kufah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 164% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 51% higher in Al Kufah, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $189 in Al Kufah versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 93% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $636 per month in Al Kufah versus $1,681 in Medellin – a 164% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $636 in Al Kufah versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al Kufah but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Al Kufah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al Kufah is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Al Kufah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 164% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.