Cost of Living Comparison Between An Najaf and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between An Najaf and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $675 per month in An Najaf vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,012 per month in An Najaf vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,349 per month in An Najaf vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

An Najaf is about 35% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both An Najaf and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – An Najaf 50% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.00 IQD 5,236

$5.92 COP 21.4K

-32.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.73 IQD 29.8K

$32.75 COP 118.2K

-30.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.66 IQD 6,104

$7.20 COP 26.0K

-35.28%

Cappuccino

$2.74 IQD 3,595

$1.70 COP 6,140

61.18%

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

$0.37 IQD 480

$1.10 COP 3,966

-66.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 IQD 226

$0.72 COP 2,605

-76.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 IQD 4,639

$1.67 COP 6,022

111.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 IQD 3,695

$3.10 COP 11.2K

-9.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 IQD 1,806

$1.06 COP 3,809

30.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,102

$1.25 COP 4,497

-32.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 IQD 2,174

$1.39 COP 5,022

19.42%

Eggs

$1.79 IQD 2,339

$2.26 COP 8,168

-20.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.30 IQD 3,008

$4.33 COP 15.6K

-46.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.09 IQD 6,664

$5.84 COP 21.1K

-12.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 IQD 14.1K

$8.83 COP 31.9K

21.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 IQD 1,662

$2.24 COP 8,099

-43.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 IQD 1,514

$1.08 COP 3,882

7.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 IQD 1,387

$1.53 COP 5,522

-30.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 971

$1.37 COP 4,950

-45.99%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 IQD 850

$1.13 COP 4,078

-42.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 884

$1.12 COP 4,036

-40.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 IQD 790

$0.85 COP 3,057

-29.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 IQD 483

$0.91 COP 3,281

-59.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.49 IQD 1,946

$2.33 COP 8,414

-36.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 IQD 17.6K

$11.13 COP 40.2K

20.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 IQD 2,307

$1.19 COP 4,309

47.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 IQD 2,834

$2.37 COP 8,553

-8.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 IQD 477

$0.79 COP 2,838

-54.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.31 IQD 45.0K

$41.13 COP 148.5K

-16.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.93 IQD 2,531

$1.44 COP 5,184

34.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 IQD 2,002

$1.91 COP 6,901

-19.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.87 IQD 6,382

$8.02 COP 28.9K

-39.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 IQD 618

$0.94 COP 3,385

-50.00%

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

$11.7K IQD 15.3M

$17.9K COP 64.7M

-34.68%

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

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

$26.8K COP 96.7M

-24.98%

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

$59.6 IQD 78.1K

$84.0 COP 303.1K

-28.97%

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

$23.19 IQD 30.4K

$9.60 COP 34.7K

141.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.04 IQD 44.6K

$24.16 COP 87.2K

40.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.85 IQD 39.1K

$25.88 COP 93.4K

15.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.09 IQD 19.8K

$19.04 COP 68.7K

-20.75%

Cinema Ticket

$7.61 IQD 9,967

$3.92 COP 14.1K

94.13%

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

$166 IQD 217.4K

$306 COP 1.1M

-45.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$913 IQD 1.2M

$5,919 COP 21.4M

-84.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.29 IQD 21.3K

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-71.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.72 IQD 32.4K

$31.82 COP 114.9K

-22.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.4 IQD 85.6K

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-34.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.68 IQD 55.9K

$107 COP 386.8K

-60.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$239 IQD 312.5K

$487 COP 1.8M

-50.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$134 IQD 175.8K

$368 COP 1.3M

-63.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$380 IQD 498.3K

$826 COP 3.0M

-53.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$153 IQD 200.1K

$716 COP 2.6M

-78.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,266 IQD 1.7M

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-56.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$481 IQD 630.0K

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-65.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$746 IQD 976.8K

$546 COP 2.0M

36.67%

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 An Najaf: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $239 in An Najaf versus $487 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 37% higher in An Najaf, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in An Najaf versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $172 vs $190 – making An Najaf the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Medellin costs about 53% more than An Najaf, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,013 per month in An Najaf and $1,550 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in An Najaf, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $675 in An Najaf and $1,034 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 20% less in An Najaf. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in An Najaf, where all-in costs run around $675, than in Medellin at $1,034. In An Najaf it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. An Najaf costs $675 versus $1,034 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with An Najaf. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.