Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-mawsil and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-mawsil and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $721 in Al-mawsil versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,075 in Al-mawsil versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,429 in Al-mawsil versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Al-mawsil costs roughly 30% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al-mawsil 46% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.77 IQD 10.2K

$6.16 COP 20.1K

26.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.27 IQD 16.1K

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-62.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.84 IQD 7,645

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-20.44%

Cappuccino

$0.81 IQD 1,055

$1.72 COP 5,600

-52.91%

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

$0.40 IQD 517

$1.05 COP 3,420

-61.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 IQD 224

$0.77 COP 2,515

-77.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.94 IQD 1,225

$1.69 COP 5,488

-44.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 IQD 1,960

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-52.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 IQD 1,112

$1.05 COP 3,423

-19.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 IQD 1,049

$1.30 COP 4,236

-38.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 IQD 1,391

$1.40 COP 4,544

-24.29%

Eggs

$1.92 IQD 2,515

$2.16 COP 7,047

-11.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.29 IQD 9,548

$4.39 COP 14.3K

66.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.24 IQD 4,242

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-44.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.05 IQD 9,229

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-18.40%

Apples (1kg)

$0.91 IQD 1,195

$2.28 COP 7,426

-60.09%

Banana (1kg)

$0.91 IQD 1,192

$1.11 COP 3,604

-18.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.81 IQD 1,061

$1.53 COP 4,983

-47.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.39 IQD 517

$1.35 COP 4,410

-71.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 IQD 538

$1.13 COP 3,674

-63.72%

Onion (1kg)

$0.43 IQD 562

$1.13 COP 3,692

-61.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 IQD 669

$0.85 COP 2,753

-40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 IQD 700

$0.91 COP 2,975

-41.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.95 IQD 2,553

$2.34 COP 7,630

-16.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.24 IQD 16.0K

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-1.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 IQD 1,825

$1.20 COP 3,909

15.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 IQD 2,533

$2.49 COP 8,104

-22.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 IQD 520

$0.84 COP 2,728

-52.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.67 IQD 41.5K

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-21.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 IQD 2,839

$1.42 COP 4,623

52.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 IQD 2,591

$1.92 COP 6,235

3.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 IQD 4,298

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-57.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 IQD 432

$0.99 COP 3,223

-66.67%

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

$15.1K IQD 19.7M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

-16.44%

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

$17.7K IQD 23.1M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-33.66%

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

$99.4 IQD 130.2K

$80.8 COP 263.1K

23.02%

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

$17.52 IQD 22.9K

$9.95 COP 32.4K

76.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.27 IQD 35.7K

$24.18 COP 78.7K

12.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.23 IQD 31.7K

$25.08 COP 81.7K

-3.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.85 IQD 24.7K

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-1.57%

Cinema Ticket

$11.28 IQD 14.8K

$3.98 COP 13.0K

183.42%

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

$202 IQD 264.4K

$305 COP 993.5K

-33.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$694 IQD 909.2K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-88.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.87 IQD 18.2K

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-76.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.89 IQD 23.4K

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-44.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.9 IQD 108.6K

$101 COP 327.9K

-17.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$19.54 IQD 25.6K

$108 COP 350.8K

-81.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 IQD 316.7K

$477 COP 1.6M

-49.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 IQD 234.4K

$376 COP 1.2M

-52.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$572 IQD 748.7K

$845 COP 2.7M

-32.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$339 IQD 443.7K

$730 COP 2.4M

-53.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$608 IQD 795.8K

$617 COP 2.0M

-1.47%

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 Al-mawsil: July 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $242 in Al-mawsil and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 1% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $12.00 in Al-mawsil vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $149 vs $193 per month, with Al-mawsil 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-mawsil vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-mawsil is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 1% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $242 in Al-mawsil versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $202 in Al-mawsil versus $305 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 30% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $721 in Al-mawsil versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al-mawsil but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Al-mawsil the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al-mawsil 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-mawsil gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.