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: $617 in Al-mawsil versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $827 in Al-mawsil versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,038 in Al-mawsil versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Al-mawsil costs roughly 63% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al-mawsil is 55% below, Medellin is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.55 IQD 9,891

$8.02 COP 25.0K

-5.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.36 IQD 16.2K

$47.87 COP 149.4K

-74.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 IQD 7,344

$9.89 COP 30.8K

-43.28%

Cappuccino

$0.75 IQD 981

$3.13 COP 9,767

-76.04%

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

$0.37 IQD 484

$1.91 COP 5,954

-80.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 IQD 252

$1.51 COP 4,712

-87.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.97 IQD 1,265

$3.12 COP 9,747

-68.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 IQD 1,982

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-73.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 IQD 1,015

$1.44 COP 4,509

-45.83%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 IQD 959

$2.49 COP 7,759

-70.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.62 IQD 815

$1.77 COP 5,535

-64.97%

Eggs

$1.13 IQD 1,482

$2.96 COP 9,235

-61.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.97 IQD 10.4K

$10.07 COP 31.4K

-20.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 IQD 4,551

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-65.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.22 IQD 12.1K

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-35.52%

Apples (1kg)

$0.73 IQD 956

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-82.37%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 965

$1.61 COP 5,019

-54.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.60 IQD 781

$2.25 COP 7,007

-73.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.28 IQD 368

$2.25 COP 7,028

-87.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.32 IQD 425

$2.04 COP 6,375

-84.31%

Onion (1kg)

$0.37 IQD 482

$1.54 COP 4,790

-75.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 IQD 1,028

$1.17 COP 3,651

-33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 IQD 772

$1.31 COP 4,077

-54.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.87 IQD 2,444

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-52.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.38 IQD 16.2K

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-11.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 IQD 2,210

$1.74 COP 5,439

-2.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 IQD 2,720

$2.87 COP 8,956

-27.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 514

$1.22 COP 3,792

-68.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.48 IQD 39.9K

$80.5 COP 251.1K

-62.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 IQD 2,426

$1.31 COP 4,084

41.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 IQD 2,382

$2.19 COP 6,825

-16.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.54 IQD 5,945

$8.71 COP 27.2K

-47.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 IQD 430

$1.37 COP 4,260

-75.91%

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

$15.3K IQD 20.0M

$27.8K COP 86.9M

-45.21%

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

$17.8K IQD 23.3M

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-50.33%

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

$109 IQD 142.3K

$177 COP 553.2K

-38.70%

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

$13.97 IQD 18.3K

$13.88 COP 43.3K

0.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.34 IQD 34.5K

$29.72 COP 92.8K

-11.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.02 IQD 30.1K

$44.88 COP 140.1K

-48.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.44 IQD 9,736

$17.12 COP 53.4K

-56.54%

Cinema Ticket

$7.81 IQD 10.2K

$6.65 COP 20.7K

17.44%

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

$306 IQD 401.0K

$813 COP 2.5M

-62.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$688 IQD 900.4K

$9,187 COP 28.7M

-92.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.01 IQD 24.9K

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-78.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.44 IQD 20.2K

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-73.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.5 IQD 92.3K

$138 COP 431.2K

-48.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$18.06 IQD 23.6K

$102 COP 318.7K

-82.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$113 IQD 148.3K

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-89.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$76.3 IQD 100.0K

$663 COP 2.1M

-88.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$301 IQD 393.7K

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-84.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$608 IQD 795.7K

$678 COP 2.1M

-10.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.53

10.94

-76.87%

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

Last update for Al-mawsil: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $113 in Al-mawsil and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 12% 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 $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $152 vs $305 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 173% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 12% 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: $113 in Al-mawsil versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $306 in Al-mawsil versus $813 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 100% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $617 in Al-mawsil versus $1,681 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 173% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.