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: $734 in Al-mawsil versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,085 in Al-mawsil versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,437 in Al-mawsil versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Al-mawsil costs roughly 28% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al-mawsil 45% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.47 IQD 9,781

$5.99 COP 21.4K

24.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.10 IQD 15.8K

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-63.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.87 IQD 7,683

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-17.21%

Cappuccino

$0.75 IQD 977

$1.71 COP 6,115

-56.14%

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

$0.36 IQD 473

$1.10 COP 3,924

-67.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 IQD 218

$0.78 COP 2,781

-78.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.91 IQD 1,198

$1.68 COP 5,997

-45.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 IQD 1,943

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-51.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 IQD 1,207

$1.09 COP 3,906

-15.60%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 IQD 976

$1.26 COP 4,508

-40.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 IQD 1,378

$1.38 COP 4,922

-23.91%

Eggs

$1.97 IQD 2,578

$2.19 COP 7,827

-10.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.27 IQD 9,521

$4.40 COP 15.7K

65.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 IQD 4,326

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-41.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.12 IQD 9,319

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-19.91%

Apples (1kg)

$0.92 IQD 1,203

$2.34 COP 8,349

-60.68%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 IQD 1,126

$1.06 COP 3,777

-18.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.77 IQD 1,012

$1.50 COP 5,374

-48.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.37 IQD 479

$1.38 COP 4,924

-73.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 IQD 543

$1.15 COP 4,111

-64.35%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 IQD 601

$1.16 COP 4,155

-60.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 IQD 679

$0.89 COP 3,182

-41.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 IQD 635

$0.84 COP 2,997

-42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.90 IQD 2,492

$2.28 COP 8,145

-16.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.23 IQD 16.0K

$10.64 COP 38.0K

14.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 IQD 1,799

$1.20 COP 4,284

14.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 IQD 2,518

$2.47 COP 8,824

-22.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 IQD 482

$0.86 COP 3,056

-56.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.22 IQD 40.9K

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-24.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.18 IQD 2,850

$1.47 COP 5,264

48.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 IQD 2,646

$1.96 COP 7,009

3.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 IQD 4,391

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-56.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.35 IQD 461

$0.95 COP 3,409

-63.16%

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

$15.6K IQD 20.4M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

-13.92%

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

$17.7K IQD 23.2M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-33.24%

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

$99.0 IQD 129.6K

$82.3 COP 293.7K

20.34%

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

$17.96 IQD 23.5K

$9.50 COP 33.9K

89.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.95 IQD 35.3K

$24.23 COP 86.5K

11.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.87 IQD 31.3K

$25.89 COP 92.4K

-7.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.75 IQD 24.6K

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-1.32%

Cinema Ticket

$11.49 IQD 15.0K

$3.93 COP 14.0K

192.37%

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

$198 IQD 258.7K

$309 COP 1.1M

-36.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$701 IQD 917.6K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-88.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.06 IQD 18.4K

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-76.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.51 IQD 22.9K

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-45.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 IQD 107.4K

$103 COP 366.4K

-20.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$19.05 IQD 24.9K

$108 COP 387.2K

-82.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 IQD 316.0K

$476 COP 1.7M

-49.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 IQD 231.4K

$379 COP 1.4M

-53.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 IQD 765.7K

$838 COP 3.0M

-30.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 IQD 457.4K

$724 COP 2.6M

-51.74%

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)

$607 IQD 795.3K

$512 COP 1.8M

18.67%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $241 in Al-mawsil and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al-mawsil pays 19% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $12.00 in Al-mawsil vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $148 vs $188 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 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Al-mawsil pays 19% more on average, 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: $241 in Al-mawsil versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $198 in Al-mawsil versus $309 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $734 in Al-mawsil versus $1,013 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 38% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.