Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between An Najaf and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in An Najaf: $565 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $12,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

An Najaf, Iraq
Medellin, Colombia
An Najaf
🇮🇶 Iraq
$565
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in An Najaf and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in An Najaf and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $565 per month in An Najaf vs $1,639 in Medellin, rent included.

  • An Najaf $565
  • Medellin $1,639

A couple spends around $854 per month in An Najaf vs $2,413 in Medellin, rent included.

  • An Najaf $854
  • Medellin $2,413

A family of three spends $1,143 per month in An Najaf vs $3,186 in Medellin, rent included.

  • An Najaf $1,143
  • Medellin $3,186

An Najaf is about 66% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

An Najaf sits 58% below the global median, while Medellin is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
An Najaf
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.88 IQD 5,856
$8.09 COP 26.1K
-52.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.70 IQD 29.8K
$47.05 COP 151.9K
-58.13%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.32 IQD 6,528
$9.50 COP 30.7K
-54.53%
Cappuccino
$2.26 IQD 3,416
$3.01 COP 9,735
-24.92%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39 IQD 582
$1.80 COP 5,809
-78.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.22 IQD 333
$1.41 COP 4,561
-84.40%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.26 IQD 4,923
$3.18 COP 10.3K
2.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.02 IQD 3,055
$5.75 COP 18.6K
-64.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
An Najaf
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.90 IQD 1,367
$1.51 COP 4,876
-40.40%
White Bread (500g)
$0.68 IQD 1,023
$2.38 COP 7,678
-71.43%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.31 IQD 1,972
$1.77 COP 5,720
-25.99%
Eggs
$1.68 IQD 2,542
$2.89 COP 9,333
-41.87%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$3.28 IQD 4,951
$10.19 COP 32.9K
-67.81%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.43 IQD 5,187
$9.87 COP 31.9K
-65.25%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.56 IQD 14.5K
$13.99 COP 45.2K
-31.67%
Apples (1kg)
$0.97 IQD 1,458
$3.97 COP 12.8K
-75.57%
Banana (1kg)
$0.91 IQD 1,375
$1.55 COP 5,012
-41.29%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.94 IQD 1,425
$2.18 COP 7,048
-56.88%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.68 IQD 1,029
$2.18 COP 7,051
-68.81%
Potato (1kg)
$0.56 IQD 841
$1.96 COP 6,337
-71.43%
Onion (1kg)
$0.61 IQD 919
$1.59 COP 5,132
-61.64%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.58 IQD 877
$1.15 COP 3,699
-49.57%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 IQD 743
$1.24 COP 4,014
-60.48%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.63 IQD 2,462
$3.96 COP 12.8K
-58.84%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.93 IQD 18.0K
$13.68 COP 44.2K
-12.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.93 IQD 2,919
$1.66 COP 5,359
16.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.91 IQD 2,892
$2.26 COP 7,291
-15.49%
🚌 Getting Around
An Najaf
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.31 IQD 462
$1.17 COP 3,771
-73.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$77.4 COP 249.8K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.31 IQD 1,974
$1.27 COP 4,094
3.15%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.31 IQD 1,975
$2.05 COP 6,612
-36.10%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.38 IQD 8,132
$8.55 COP 27.6K
-37.08%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.41 IQD 625
$1.35 COP 4,349
-69.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$12.1K IQD 18.4M
$34.1K COP 110.0M
-64.34%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$16.9K IQD 25.5M
$34.7K COP 111.9M
-51.35%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
An Najaf
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$34.87 IQD 52.7K
$170 COP 547.8K
-79.45%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.80 IQD 22.4K
$13.55 COP 43.8K
9.23%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.39 IQD 50.5K
$28.07 COP 90.6K
18.95%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
An Najaf
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.35 IQD 38.3K
$43.70 COP 141.1K
-41.99%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.19 COP 55.5K
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.44 IQD 12.7K
$6.91 COP 22.3K
22.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
An Najaf
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$147 IQD 222.0K
$797 COP 2.6M
-81.56%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$797 IQD 1.2M
$9,112 COP 29.4M
-91.26%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
An Najaf
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$15.04 IQD 22.7K
$84.7 COP 273.5K
-82.25%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$23.28 IQD 35.2K
$58.0 COP 187.2K
-59.83%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$60.3 IQD 91.2K
$135 COP 435.8K
-55.29%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$41.51 IQD 62.7K
$97.9 COP 316.0K
-57.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
An Najaf
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$234 IQD 353.4K
$1,208 COP 3.9M
-80.64%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$125 IQD 188.4K
$642 COP 2.1M
-80.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$311 IQD 469.6K
$2,028 COP 6.5M
-84.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$189 IQD 286.0K
$1,012 COP 3.3M
-81.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,097 IQD 1.7M
$4,170 COP 13.5M
-73.70%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$445 IQD 672.6K
$1,910 COP 6.2M
-76.70%
💵 Salaries & Financials
An Najaf
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$670 IQD 1.0M
$657 COP 2.1M
2.01%
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 An Najaf: October 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
An Najaf
$149
Medellin
$297 98.8% $148
Accommodation & Living
An Najaf
$125
Medellin
$642 415% $517
Eating Out
An Najaf
$94
Medellin
$170 80.7% $76
Monthly Utilities & Internet
An Najaf
$83
Medellin
$211 154% $128
Clothing & Footwear
An Najaf
$63
Medellin
$169 168% $106
Sport & Entertainment
An Najaf
$42
Medellin
$58 36.3% $15
Getting Around
An Najaf
$9.1 *
Medellin
$94 933% $84

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $234 in An Najaf versus $1,208 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 $20 in An Najaf versus $47 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $149 vs $297 – making An Najaf the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇶 An Najaf
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
08:33 8:33 AM
00:33 12:33 AM
8 h behind An Najaf
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,221,248
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to IQD – Iraqi Dinar Converter

Iraqi Dinar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 1,511 IQD (10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD). 1 EUR = 1,687 IQD (10,000 IQD = 5.93 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,605 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • An Najaf Medellin 12,370 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • An Najaf
  • Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
An Najaf vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, An Najaf or Medellin?
Medellin costs about 190% more than An Najaf, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in An Najaf and in Medellin?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $848 per month in An Najaf and $2,459 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, An Najaf or Medellin?
Rent is clearly cheaper in An Najaf, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $234 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.
How much does it cost to live in An Najaf compared to Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $565 in An Najaf and $1,639 in Medellin. That makes An Najaf about 66% cheaper.
How do childcare costs compare in An Najaf and in Medellin?
Kindergarten costs $147 per month in An Najaf and $797 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $800/month in An Najaf or in Medellin?
A $800 monthly budget goes further in An Najaf, where all-in costs run around $565, than in Medellin at $1,639. In An Najaf it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward An Najaf – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

An Najaf vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?